USA buys syndication rights to "NCIS" spinoff

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - In what might be an industry record, CBS' freshman drama series "NCIS: Los Angeles" has been sold into syndication after seven weeks on the air.

CBS TV Distribution has licensed the show to USA Network, which has enjoyed great success airing reruns of franchise flagship "NCIS."

The spinoff, which stars LL Cool J and Chris O'Donnell, is going for roughly $1.9 million per episode. It will start airing weekly in the fall of 2011.

The unusually quick deal is testament to the popularity of the "NCIS" brand -- and the ability of top cable networks to capitalize on crime procedurals in syndication.

In its seventh season, "NCIS" has grown to become the most-watched drama series on TV. Ratings for "Los Angeles" have been consistently strong on Tuesday nights.

Although it might seem like a risk to invest in the syndicated run of a series so early in its run, cable networks made similar gambles with "CSI: Miami" and "CSI: NY" during their first-year runs. CBS' "CSI: NY" sold into syndication during its debut year in 2004 to Spike TV a couple months after its debut for a then-record $1.9 million. "Miami" sold late in its first season in 2003 to A&E for $1 million per episode. Other notable crime drama sales: "Law & Order: SVU" going to USA for $1.5 million, "Without a Trace" to TNT for $1.4 million and "CSI" going to Spike for $1.6 million.

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