▁The ▁broadcast ing ▁of ▁sports ▁events ▁is ▁a ▁major ▁component ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁commercial ▁television ▁industry . ▁Sports ▁tend ▁to ▁draw ▁a ▁large , ▁wealth y ▁audience ▁that ▁can ▁command ▁large ▁sums ▁of ▁re venue ▁from ▁advert ising ▁and ▁subscription ▁fe es . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁days ▁of ▁television , ▁sports ▁quickly ▁became ▁a ▁fi xture ▁of ▁American ▁broadcast ▁television . ▁Box ing ▁was ▁carried ▁on ▁almost ▁every ▁television ▁station ▁and ▁network ▁since ▁the ▁beg inn ings . ▁The ▁sport ▁earned ▁a ▁negative ▁reputation ▁after ▁Em ile ▁Griff ith ▁killed ▁his ▁oppon ent ▁on ▁national ▁television ▁in ▁a ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁contest , ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁Dave y ▁Moore ▁from ▁an ▁indirect ▁in - ring ▁injury ▁during ▁another ▁tele vised ▁contest ▁a ▁year ▁later ; ▁by ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁box ing ▁was ▁off ▁national ▁television . ▁ ▁The ▁rise ▁of ▁pay - per - view ▁and ▁prem ium ▁channels ▁led ▁to ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁highest - profile ▁matches ▁returning ▁to ▁the ▁air w aves ▁via ▁subscription ▁television . ▁While ▁it ▁still ▁maintain s ▁a ▁limited ▁( and ▁rising , ▁thanks ▁to ▁the ▁efforts ▁of ▁Premier ▁Box ing ▁Champions ) ▁presence ▁on ▁American ▁broadcast ▁television , ▁box ing ▁has ▁decl ined ▁in ▁popular ity ▁since ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁with ▁mixed ▁mart ial ▁arts , ▁a ▁more ▁broad - based ▁combat ▁sport , ▁rising ▁to ▁take ▁its ▁place . ▁ ▁The ▁major ▁professional ▁sports ▁le agues ▁began ▁regular ▁television ▁broadcast s ▁in ▁the