Boxing has had an uneasy history with television over the past 35 years. It was once a staple, but for a variety of reasons, it has never regained its luster on a regular basis.

More often than not, television executives look at boxing as if it were a communicable disease. As a result, it's become the domain of cable and, more significantly, premium cable television.

View photos Boxing matches are typically on pay-per-view, which is the case when Floyd Mayweather (R) fights. (AP) More

Even within the boxing industry, few are optimistic about a return to wide-scale success on television because of the significant roadblocks that are in its way.

Boxing manager Al Haymon is about to unveil a series later this year that will air on NBC Sports Network and, occasionally, on NBC itself, but expectations for it aren't high among boxing insiders.

Several boxing promoters who didn't want to be identified by name referred derisively to Haymon's series before it's ever presented a fight of any kind on NBC. Two of them, who are from different companies, called the series "The Mismatch of the Week."

Kathy Duva, the CEO of Main Events, promoted a series on NBC/NBCSN for two years before Haymon's company bought the time and Duva lost her run.

She expressed concern whether Haymon's series on NBC will focus on quality matches since Haymon has a vested interest in the fights.

"I've been told that they're constantly telling the people making their matches that their marching orders are, 'Make sure our guys win,' " Duva said. "What I told our matchmakers was, 'Give me a fight that tells me a story. Give me a great fight that has a story to tell.' "

There are plenty of land mines out there for promoters, managers and, most of all, anyone at a television network seriously considering getting involved in boxing at a significant level. But Patrick Crakes, the senior vice president of programming, research & content strategy for Fox Sports, is undeterred. Fox Sports 1 has had success with boxing since it began airing the cards at its inception in August 2013 and it's going to open a series on Friday with a new promoter, music mogul Jay Z's Roc Nation.

Crakes said boxing is far more than just filler content for the 24-hour sports network and said he thinks Fox Sports 1 can help the sport grow. He believes that eventually, higher level fights could be held on the network.

"We aren't looking at this as filler programming at all," Crakes told Yahoo Sports. "This is a significant commitment to serious, high-level, high-profile sport. Budget has always been an issue. For years, it's been relegated to pay TV, but now, more and more it's been finding its way back to open pipe television.

Kathy Duva (Main Events) More

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