The Contender (TV series)
Encyclopedia
The Contender is a reality television
series that follows a group of boxers
as they compete with one another in an elimination-style competition, while their lives and relationships with each other and their families are depicted. Produced by Mark Burnett
, the show is hosted by Sugar Ray Leonard
, who shared hosting duties in the first season with actor Sylvester Stallone
. Leonard also serves as a trainer on the show, along with Tommy Gallagher. During the first season, boxing manager Jackie Kallen
also served as counsel to the boxers.
The show ran for fifteen weeks through 2005 on NBC
in the United States of America. The show ran in the UK on ITV2
and was repeated later in the week on ITV1
, and now airs on ITV4
. It also aired on AXN in India, and on the Spanish language network Telemundo
. The second season
, featuring welterweight
contenders, premiered in the U.S. on Tuesday, July 18, 2006, at 10PM ET/PT, on ESPN
. The third season
, featuring super middleweight
contenders, premiered in the U.S. on Tuesday, September 4, 2007, at 10PM ET/PT, on ESPN
. The fourth season
, featuring cruiserweight contenders, premiered in the U.S. on Wednesday, December 3, 2008, at 10PM ET/PT, on Versus
.
The series’ tagline
is “The Next Great Human Drama”, and its soundtrack was scored by Hans Zimmer
. Before the show premiered, rival US television Fox network rushed to air a competing show The Next Great Champ
, hosted by Oscar de la Hoya
. The show performed very poorly, with the final episodes being relegated to cable FSN
. In an effort to distance itself from the Fox disaster, NBC opted to hold airing its show until spring 2005.
The show takes the format of a gameshow, with the boxers divided into two teams based on their place of residence in the United States: East Coast
or West Coast
(or simply “East” and “West”). These teams live together in group living quarters, in Pasadena, California
in the historic Royal Laundry Building on Raymond Avenue, and compete for the right to choose which of their team members fights that week, and who he fights against. Most of the second half of the hour-long episodes are devoted to that fight: the loser is eliminated.
On February 14, 2005, one of the 16 contestants, Najai Turpin
, despondent over personal matters, committed suicide
, shooting himself while sitting with his girlfriend in a parked car outside the West Philadelphia gym where he trained. In his memory, the producers set up a trust fund
for his daughter Anyae. The show still aired in its entirety, but with a special tribute to Turpin.
On May 16, 2005, the series was cancelled. The first season cost NBC $2,000,000 per episode. Reruns were seen on CNBC
. On August 11, 2005, ESPN
announced that it was picking up the rights to a second season of the show, which began airing on the network in July 2006, although special editions under the Contender title are currently airing as of March, 2006. ESPN also announced that it has options to renew the series for two additional seasons. However, on April 10, 2008, ESPN announced that it was canceling the series. Executive producer Jeff Wald maintained that the show would continue on another network. It was later announced the show would move to Versus.
2005 film). There are 13 contenders and all are current or former professional and amateur boxers. In The Finale fight for 1,000,000 UAH
on December 12, 2010 David "Dato" Tabatadze took revenge on Bogdan Protsyshin. Previously in round 1 (show's episode 4) on November 7, 2010 Bogdan Protsyshin won the fight, but later Tabatadze returned to the show thanks to viewers SMS
votes. The Finale received rating/share 3,7%/8,4% of 50,000 18+ age and 3%/7,8% of 50,000+ 14-49 age viewers. According to Kostya Tszyu, the season 2 of the show is in considering for production.
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
series that follows a group of boxers
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
as they compete with one another in an elimination-style competition, while their lives and relationships with each other and their families are depicted. Produced by Mark Burnett
Mark Burnett
Mark Burnett is a British television producer and executive producer, based in the United States. He currently is the executive producer of five network television series with seven hours of network programming. Works with which Burnett is associated have won multiple awards and recognition...
, the show is hosted by Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Leonard is an American retired professional boxer and occasional actor. He was named Ray Charles Leonard, after his mother's favorite singer, Ray Charles...
, who shared hosting duties in the first season with actor Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone
Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...
. Leonard also serves as a trainer on the show, along with Tommy Gallagher. During the first season, boxing manager Jackie Kallen
Jackie Kallen
Jackie Kallen is one of boxing's first and most successful female managers. Her life was the inspiration for the film Against the Ropes. She also worked as a consultant for Mark Burnett's reality tv series The Contender....
also served as counsel to the boxers.
The show ran for fifteen weeks through 2005 on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
in the United States of America. The show ran in the UK on ITV2
ITV2
ITV2 is a 24 hour, free-to-air entertainment television channel in the United Kingdom owned by ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It was launched on 7 December 1998, and is available on digital television via satellite, cable, IPTV and terrestrial platforms. The channel has the...
and was repeated later in the week on ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
, and now airs on ITV4
ITV4
ITV4 is a British television station which was launched on 1 November 2005. It is owned by ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc, and is part of the ITV network. The channel has a male-oriented line-up, including sport, cop shows and US comedies and dramas, as well as classic ITV action...
. It also aired on AXN in India, and on the Spanish language network Telemundo
Telemundo
Telemundo is an American television network that broadcasts in Spanish. The network is the second-largest Spanish-language content producer in the world, and the second-largest Spanish-language network in the United States, behind Univision....
. The second season
The Contender 2
The Contender 2 is a reality television show based on the sport of boxing, but with an element of the competitor's lives and relationships with each other within the show's living quarters, based in Pasadena, California. Filmed in January and February 2006, the show began airing on July 18, 2006...
, featuring welterweight
Welterweight
Welterweight is a weight class division in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like kickboxing, taekwondo and mixed martial arts also began to use it for their own weight division system...
contenders, premiered in the U.S. on Tuesday, July 18, 2006, at 10PM ET/PT, on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
. The third season
The Contender 3
The Contender 3 is a reality television show based on the sport of boxing, but with an element of the competitor's lives and relationships with each other within the show's living quarters, based in Pasadena, California. The first episode aired September 4 on ESPN, with a live finale on November 6...
, featuring super middleweight
Super middleweight
Super Middleweight is a boxing and Muay Thai weight division that has a weight limit of 168 pounds .- 1960s–1983 :There was interest in a division between Middleweight and Light Heavyweight in the late 1960s, the mid-1970s, and the early 1980s...
contenders, premiered in the U.S. on Tuesday, September 4, 2007, at 10PM ET/PT, on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
. The fourth season
The Contender 4
The Contender 4 is a reality television show based on the sport of boxing, but with an added element of insight into the competitor's lives and relationships with each other within the show's living quarters. The fourth season of the show was recorded in Singapore , and premiered on Versus on...
, featuring cruiserweight contenders, premiered in the U.S. on Wednesday, December 3, 2008, at 10PM ET/PT, on Versus
Versus (TV channel)
Versus is a sports-oriented cable television channel in the United States. It was previously known as Outdoor Life Network and was launched on July 1, 1995, focusing on fishing, hunting, and other outdoor sports...
.
The series’ tagline
Tagline
A tagline is a variant of a branding slogan typically used in marketing materials and advertising. The idea behind the concept is to create a memorable phrase that will sum up the tone and premise of a brand or product , or to reinforce the audience's memory of a product...
is “The Next Great Human Drama”, and its soundtrack was scored by Hans Zimmer
Hans Zimmer
Hans Florian Zimmer is a German film composer and music producer. He has composed music for over 100 films, including critically acclaimed film scores for The Lion King , Crimson Tide , The Thin Red Line , Gladiator , The Dark Knight and Inception .Zimmer spent the early part of his career in the...
. Before the show premiered, rival US television Fox network rushed to air a competing show The Next Great Champ
The Next Great Champ
The Next Great Champ was a reality television series on Fox that aired in early 2005. It followed a group of boxers as they compete with one another in an elimination-style competition, while their lives and relationships with each other and their families are depicted...
, hosted by Oscar de la Hoya
Oscar de la Hoya
Oscar De La Hoya is a retired American boxer of Mexican descent. Nicknamed "The Golden Boy", De La Hoya won a gold medal at the Barcelona Olympic Games shortly after graduating from Garfield High School. De La Hoya comes from a boxing family. His grandfather Vicente, father Joel Sr., and brother...
. The show performed very poorly, with the final episodes being relegated to cable FSN
Fox Sports Net
The Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...
. In an effort to distance itself from the Fox disaster, NBC opted to hold airing its show until spring 2005.
The show takes the format of a gameshow, with the boxers divided into two teams based on their place of residence in the United States: East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
or West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
(or simply “East” and “West”). These teams live together in group living quarters, in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
in the historic Royal Laundry Building on Raymond Avenue, and compete for the right to choose which of their team members fights that week, and who he fights against. Most of the second half of the hour-long episodes are devoted to that fight: the loser is eliminated.
On February 14, 2005, one of the 16 contestants, Najai Turpin
Najai Turpin
Najai Turpin was a professional boxer born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.He was a contestant on reality TV show The Contender...
, despondent over personal matters, committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
, shooting himself while sitting with his girlfriend in a parked car outside the West Philadelphia gym where he trained. In his memory, the producers set up a trust fund
Foundation (charity)
A foundation is a legal categorization of nonprofit organizations that will typically either donate funds and support to other organizations, or provide the source of funding for its own charitable purposes....
for his daughter Anyae. The show still aired in its entirety, but with a special tribute to Turpin.
On May 16, 2005, the series was cancelled. The first season cost NBC $2,000,000 per episode. Reruns were seen on CNBC
CNBC
CNBC is a satellite and cable television business news channel in the U.S., owned and operated by NBCUniversal. The network and its international spinoffs cover business headlines and provide live coverage of financial markets. The combined reach of CNBC and its siblings is 390 million viewers...
. On August 11, 2005, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
announced that it was picking up the rights to a second season of the show, which began airing on the network in July 2006, although special editions under the Contender title are currently airing as of March, 2006. ESPN also announced that it has options to renew the series for two additional seasons. However, on April 10, 2008, ESPN announced that it was canceling the series. Executive producer Jeff Wald maintained that the show would continue on another network. It was later announced the show would move to Versus.
Seasons
- The Contender 1
- The Contender 2The Contender 2The Contender 2 is a reality television show based on the sport of boxing, but with an element of the competitor's lives and relationships with each other within the show's living quarters, based in Pasadena, California. Filmed in January and February 2006, the show began airing on July 18, 2006...
- The Contender Challenge: UK vs. USAThe Contender Challenge: UK vs. USAThe Contender Challenge: UK vs. USA was a series of boxing matches on March 30, 2007, held at Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle, England, featuring 6 boxers from the US reality television shows The Contender and The Contender 2. The Contenders, in a team coached by Sugar Ray Leonard, took on 6 boxers...
- The Contender 3The Contender 3The Contender 3 is a reality television show based on the sport of boxing, but with an element of the competitor's lives and relationships with each other within the show's living quarters, based in Pasadena, California. The first episode aired September 4 on ESPN, with a live finale on November 6...
- The Contender AsiaThe Contender AsiaThe Contender Asia was a reality-based television series that follows 16 aspiring Muay Thai middleweight fighters from 12 countries as they compete in a series of outdoor challenges and sanctioned matches...
- The Contender 4The Contender 4The Contender 4 is a reality television show based on the sport of boxing, but with an added element of insight into the competitor's lives and relationships with each other within the show's living quarters. The fourth season of the show was recorded in Singapore , and premiered on Versus on...
- The Contender AustraliaThe Contender AustraliaThe Contender Australia is a reality television show based on the sport of boxing, but with an added element of insight into the competitor's lives and relationships with each other within the show's living quarters. The series was filmed in Sydney, Australia and was first aired on Australian...
Ty chempion
On October 17, 2010, the Ukrainian show Ty - Chempion («Ти чемпіон», translated as You are the Champion), the adaptation of NBC's The Contender, started on Ukrayina TV channel. The 10-episode show is hosted by Kostya Tszyu, Alina Shaternikova (both are professional boxers) and Denis Nikiforov (the star of ShadowboxingShadowboxing (2005 film)
Shadowboxing is a 2005 Russian 4-episode Sports drama movie.The stars of the film include famous Russian actors such as Denis Nikiforov, Elena Panova, and Andrey Panin, and it was directed by Aleksey Sidorov...
2005 film). There are 13 contenders and all are current or former professional and amateur boxers. In The Finale fight for 1,000,000 UAH
Ukrainian hryvnia
The hryvnia, sometimes hryvnya or grivna ; sign: ₴, code: , has been the national currency of Ukraine since September 2, 1996. The hryvnia is subdivided into 100 kopiyok. In medieval times, it was a currency of Kievan Rus'....
on December 12, 2010 David "Dato" Tabatadze took revenge on Bogdan Protsyshin. Previously in round 1 (show's episode 4) on November 7, 2010 Bogdan Protsyshin won the fight, but later Tabatadze returned to the show thanks to viewers SMS
SMS
SMS is a form of text messaging communication on phones and mobile phones. The terms SMS or sms may also refer to:- Computer hardware :...
votes. The Finale received rating/share 3,7%/8,4% of 50,000 18+ age and 3%/7,8% of 50,000+ 14-49 age viewers. According to Kostya Tszyu, the season 2 of the show is in considering for production.