It looks like CBS’ hyped sweeps stunt has paid off. The network had made the unprecedented move of playing repeats during the final week of sweeps in favour of issuing new programming against NBC’s ‘The Contender’ premiere, the Sylvester Stallone reality show. ‘The Contender’, which had already been much-delayed due to Fox’s failed rip-off ‘The Next Great Champ’, managed only 8.3 million viewers against new episodes of ‘Two and a Half Men’ (17.6 million) and ‘CSI: Miami’ (21.3 million). The show will air again this Thursday at 10PM following ‘The Apprentice’ and will then move to their regular deathslot opposite ‘Desperate Housewives’ on Sundays at 9PM.