The USA Network has pulled the plug on a drama series after it failed to match the ratings success of its freshman season. Going away after three seasons on the cable network is “Necessary Roughness,” The Hollywood Reporter’s Live Feed reports.

The series often featured timely stories about the sports world, including story lines about athletes coming out as gay, the story notes. The past season featured a story line about doping in pro sports, the piece adds.

In a statement, the network said: “We are proud of this show and its writers, which had a unique ability to address topical subjects before they unfolded in real life on the sports pages."

The report adds: “‘Necessary Roughness’ got off to a promising start during summer 2011, but the show never came close to matching its freshman ratings. Its third and final season performed relatively close to the second season, opening to 2.6 million viewers and wrapping in August to 2.36 million. In live-plus-same day showings, the series generally pulled a 0.6 rating with adults 18-49.”