Showtime Networks Inc. and parent company CBS Corporation have scheduled a broad range of programming and promotion across the Company’s diverse portfolio of media platforms in anticipation of the showdown between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao on Saturday, May 2.
SHOWTIME Sports® is anchoring the charge with 13½ hours of first-run shoulder programming, including its acclaimed documentary series INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO, classic fights and a comprehensive offering of digital assets.
In addition, the CBS Television Network will run promotional spots in primetime and late-night programming throughout fight week. This will be supplemented with marketing support and editorial coverage from CBS Sports Digital, significant coverage across CBS Sports Radio and a dozen CBS Radio stations throughout the country, and a robust schedule of shoulder programming and marketing support on CBS Sports Network.
“The Company is uniquely positioned to support an event of this magnitude with media assets across virtually every medium,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “We’re grateful for the company-wide support and look forward to an all-encompassing push leading to May 2 leading into this milestone sports event.”
SHOULDER PROGRAMMING AND PROMOTIONAL SUPPORT WILL INCLUDE:
INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO delivers a unique perspective of the pound-for-pound champion Mayweather in the weeks leading up to the marquee event. The four-part documentary series from SHOWTIME Sports includes the Sports Emmy Award-winning “Epilogue” which shines the spotlight on Fight Week and takes viewers inside the ropes on Fight Night. A full schedule of the four-part series is detailed below.
CBS Television Network will run Mayweather vs. Pacquiao promos during primetime and late-night throughout Fight Week.
CBS owned and operated television stations throughout the country have been actively engaged in coverage of the event since the March 11 kick-off press conference in Los Angeles. These affiliate stations, located in the nation’s top markets, will have access to all the news and footage of fight week through the distribution network of CBS Newspath.
CBS Sports Network will provide live Fight Week coverage from Las Vegas, including the official Weigh-In on Friday, May 1 (6 p.m. ET), as well as immediate reaction and analysis following the fight and the post-fight press conference. During the week leading up to the bout, the Network also will air encore presentations of classic Mayweather fights and INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO episodes.
CBS Sports Digital has launched a landing page at CBSSports.com, a one-stop shop for everything Mayweather vs. Pacquiao. The ‘Tier 1’ support from CBS Sports Digital includes static homepage promotions, additional marketing and significant editorial coverage on all digital platforms, including breaking news, commentary and placement of live event streams.
CBS Radio is backing May 2 with stations from 10 of the country’s top markets broadcasting live from MGM Grand, including WFAN in New York, KROQ-FM in Los Angeles, KRLD-FM in Dallas and WIP-FM in Philadelphia. Additionally, CBS Sports Radio’s nationally syndicated “The Doug Gottlieb Show” and (Scott) “Ferrall On The Bench” will be in Las Vegas for Fight Week. “The Doug Gottlieb Show” is simulcast on CBS Sports Network on Friday, May 1.
CBS Radio coverage also includes a special broadcast hosted by WFAN’s No. 1 morning show personalities Boomer and Carton on Saturday prior to the fight from 6-8 p.m. ET. The program is available on WFAN, CBS Sports Radio, and select CBS Radio stations nationwide. The special also will be simulcast for television on CBS Sports Network.
CBS Local Digital Media has created a comprehensive array of online audio, video and editorial features to promote the fight which can be experienced across a variety of digital and mobile platforms.
#MayPac:Daily is a daily online show hosted by SHOWTIME Sports personality Mauro Ranallo. The series will deliver the buzz of Fight Week in Las Vegas with special guests from sports and entertainment, insider analysis and more. Taped live from the casino floor at MGM Grand, #MayPac:Daily will be posted nightly Tuesday-Friday on http://www.sho.com/sho/sports/home and Youtube.com/shosports.
Additionally, the SHOWTIME Sports digital team is working closely with SnapChat to deliver exclusive content, launching a new boxing blog on TUMBLR called Pound for Pound, and working with Twitter on a unique feature capturing the years of social conversation leading to #MayPac.
Classic Floyd Mayweather fights are being offered across the premium network’s portals, including nightly on SHOWTIME EXTREME, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND and SHOWTIME ANYTIME. Those platforms will also offer the media workouts of Mayweather and Pacquiao and the live stream of the final press conference. Fans can tune-in to the final stare-down between the fighters on Friday, May 1 when SHOWTIME airs WEIGH-IN LIVE: MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO.
SHOWTIME Sports also delivers a host of short-form content available across multiple platforms, including original music videos, Mayweather greatest hits, a Spanish web analysis and more.
Below is a sampling of select SHOWTIME programs and air times:
INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO:
Episode 2 premieres Saturday, April 25, at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.
Episode 3 premieres Wednesday, April 29 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME
Epilogue premieres Saturday, May 9
WEIGH-IN LIVE: MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO: Friday, May 1 at 6 ET/3 PT, live on SHOWTIME
COUNTDOWN LIVE: MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO: Saturday, May 2 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, live on SHOWTIME
