Mark Burnett sounds resigned that Fox’s boxing reality show, “The Next Great Champ,” will make it to the airwaves before his boxing series, “The Contender,” debuts on NBC. But he’s still not happy about it.
“Honestly, it takes so much energy to go through lawsuits,” says Burnett, who took part in a conference call with reporters Tuesday to promote the second season of “The Apprentice” on NBC. “But the fact is, we’d have been crazy not to do something when we get a 150-page report from the athletic commissioner of California, citing violation after violation” on the Fox show.
Burnett is referring to a report from former state Athletic Commission chairman Sanford Michelman, which he and fellow “Contender” producer DreamWorks TV cited in an attempt to stop “The Next Great Champ” from airing. A Los Angeles judge on Friday refused their request, saying keeping “Champ” off the airwaves would amount to prior restraint, which is barred by the First Amendment.
“Knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t have bothered (with the suit), I guess,” Burnett says. “But at the time, you feel like you’ve got to assert your rights.”
Burnett and DreamWorks claim Fox ripped off their idea for a boxing show and then worked with producers Endemol USA and Lock & Key to beat “The Contender” onto the air. The lawsuit, however, maintained that Fox engaged in unfair business practices in producing “The Next Great Champ,” namely skirting state boxing regulations by using unlicensed promoters to stage bouts for the show.
The Athletic Commission is set to discuss the allegations against the Fox series the week of Sept. 20, two weeks after “Champ’s” Sept. 7 premiere. Burnett believes that “Fox are going to get fined, majorly fined. There’s no question – you couldn’t have broken all those rules and laws” and not face some sanctions, he says.
“Mark’s frustration is clearly showing, and it’s obvious he’ll stop at nothing in his attempts to discredit our show,” a Fox spokesperson says. “However, we have no knowledge of any fines or sanctions being considered by the athletic commission against Fox in relation to “The Next Great Champ.”‘
Burnett also thinks the rush job on “The Next Great Champ” will show in the quality of the program. “My experience is, I don’t believe it can be edited and finished off in the way I’m going to make “The Contender,”‘ he says. “It takes time. It’s like building one of (“Apprentice” star Donald Trump’s) buildings. If you try to build it in half the time, it can’t possibly be as good.”
Send questions/comments to the editors.
