• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, November 9, 2009

The History channel, which once might have run a grainy documentary about Jack Dempsey's shocking 1926 title loss, is linking with boxing's newest colorful star in a promo campaign for a reality show.

The effort for "Pawn Stars" has the network weaving the upcoming series into multiple aspects of HBO's pay-per-view broadcast of the Nov. 14 match featuring the electric Manny Pacquiao.

The "Pawn Stars" logo will be on the mat, while a series of "brought to you" billboards will appear during the telecast, including right before the bell rings.

The sponsorship grew out of the match being held in Las Vegas -- Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto -- where "Pawn Stars" is set. Part of History's contemporary programming movement, the show chronicles a family of pawnbrokers in Sin City, debuting Nov. 30.

Engineered by History's media agency Horizon, the deal is with match promoter Top Rank, which was represented in negotiations by the Leverage Agency.

Networks have long run cross-promotions using their sports and entertainment units, in which sportscast cameras capture stars of the network's prime-time series in the stands and offer an audio plug.

Similarly, the members of the Harrison family that headline "Pawn Stars" will have ringside seats at the bout.

"Pawn Stars" branding will also be used in Top Rank's TV, print and radio campaign seeking people to buy the pay-per-view feed.