Mayweather Is Boxing’s Only Crossover Star

[DIOS DOMINICANO]

Thanks. I think I vaguely remembered that thread but wasn't sure it was here. Is there only one company that does these? How do they decide who to track?

There are several ways to do it.

You can use the Q-score, which is a cheaper, standardized way. Or you can do a dedicated focus group. Focus groups are pricier. It is an iterative process. Test. Collect data. analyze. make adjustments. Test again. re-adjust. Etc.

For example, after Star Jones left The View, she had very high name recognition, but also very high 'negatives'. Time Warner conducted a lot of focus groups and solicited feedback on how to counteract those negatives while still leveraging her existing market penetration. It is often easier to "rehab" an existing star's image than to "create" a new star. Anyway, they got the feedback about her overt materialism, her husband, and her appearance, etc.

Star Jones made those adjustments and Time Warner gave her a show on Court TV.

[cortdawg25]

Dont get fooled about the boxing purses, Pac is not just a boxer in the Philippines. He also makes a lot of money from a hundred endorsements and businesses.

He is ADORED by ALL PEOPLE a thousand miles north, south, west and east of where he lives.

He has biographies written about him, movies written about him, songs written about him. The only song about Floyd is "Dancing Queen".

Ok so why did he get all excited an sign that contract when Goldenboy presented him with that duffle bag of $$$?

[cortdawg25]

You know I'm not sure that "Dancing with the Stars" has caused Floyd's "star" to rise very much. I'm gauging his popularity not by mentions on DWTS, but on mentions by Entertainment Tonight. Floyd barely got a mention, and even when he was dumped off the show it didn't make the gossip news. So far he hasn't even touched on the mainstream. Conversely Oscar De La Hoya's recent ****** controversy did make Entertainment Tonight, so it's a bust that De La Hoya is still the only crossover star in North America.

In fact Floyd wouldn't even rank as a mainstream sports personality in the US because of the way that boxing has been downgraded. It's off the front pages. It isn't mentioned in Sports Illustrated. Oh in the boxing world he's near the top, but in sports in general he's not even on the radar, trumped (unjustifiably) by NASCAR drivers and second string baseball pitchers...

On the other hand Hatton in the UK is being groomed as a "personality" but he isn't there yet, so I would say he's on a par with Floyd right now. The big difference is that Boxing is still a front page sport in the UK. If you look on the BBC sports pages you will see a link to boxing. If you look on ESPN the link is hidden on page 2 under "Other Sports".

The only true active crossover star in boxing at the moment is Manny Pacqiuao, and that is beyond question. Pac is literally huge in the Phillipines, everyone knows him, he is universally loved in a manner that Mayweather can only dream of.

This isn't knocking Floyd in any way though. Hatton is never going to gain the level of popularity of Pacquiao either. Pacquiao is in the unique position of representing the hopes and dreams of all philipino people, whereas in fat America (and fat Britain) the hopes and dreams of the majority tend not to include taking punches to the head.

Some of what you say is true, but Entertainment tonight doesn't go on a 1o min special for losing on DWTS, they are more concrened with Britney Spears and her kids and if OJ is gonna get away with something else. Floyd despite what you say is on the Espy's and on ESPN all the time. He is on the hotseat fighting Brian kenny, he is talked about on Wednesday night fights and friday night fights. Hell he is on ESPN more than Oscar or any other boxer for that matter. Then there is the HBO show which broke some records and let's be honest, That was his show guest appearing Oscar de la Hoya. He has also done some musc videos and like others who have already said that he is huge in the hip hop culture. He is, dude is mentioned in atleast 1 out of every 5 mixtapes. Jay-z himself, the GOD MC, has even referenced him not only in songs but in interviews. All Floyd needs now is a commercial promoting Gatorade or something and then he is going to blow. And he also changed the sport, look at some of the up and comers and some amatuers, alotof them are emulating his stlye. Pacman is big in the Phillipine and that is it. Floyd could go to Africa and be looked at like Ali in the rumble in jungle.

[DIOS DOMINICANO]

Ok so why did Pacquiao get all excited an sign that contract when Goldenboy presented him with that duffle bag of $$$?

That is hilarious. They gave him some cash in the back of a limo like a hooker.

[tredh]

Some of what you say is true, but Entertainment tonight doesn't go on a 1o min special for losing on DWTS, they are more concrened with Britney Spears and her kids and if OJ is gonna get away with something else. Floyd despite what you say is on the Espy's and on ESPN all the time. He is on the hotseat fighting Brian kenny, he is talked about on Wednesday night fights and friday night fights. Hell he is on ESPN more than Oscar or any other boxer for that matter. Then there is the HBO show which broke some records and let's be honest, That was his show guest appearing Oscar de la Hoya. He has also done some musc videos and like others who have already said that he is huge in the hip hop culture. He is, dude is mentioned in atleast 1 out of every 5 mixtapes. Jay-z himself, the GOD MC, has even referenced him not only in songs but in interviews. All Floyd needs now is a commercial promoting Gatorade or something and then he is going to blow. And he also changed the sport, look at some of the up and comers and some amatuers, alotof them are emulating his stlye. Pacman is big in the Phillipine and that is it. Floyd could go to Africa and be looked at like Ali in the rumble in jungle.

Very good post. Maybe Gatorade should add Mayweather to those commercial when they have Garnett and Manning with those big heads on the little kids bodies. Those were funny and entertaining.
To add on Manny is only famous in his home country and asian parts of town. If you went to the suburbs and low income housing places with a picture of Manny and picture of PBF I think more people would know who PBF was than Manny. Also baseball is Americas so called past time not boxing and even boxing was at its height in popularity here it was still in competition with baseball and college football. There is also the point of that there is nobody in Manny's country for him to compete with as far as popularity. Sugar Ray Leonard not as popular in America as Manny is in the Philipines. Ali is more world wide known than Manny is but a lot of that has nothing to do with boxing and more for Ali's politcal views and his stance against other injustices commited in the world.
Manny ain't as popular as yall trying to make him out to be and PBF is not as unknown as yall are trying to make him out to be. In terms of who is more popular in they're respective countries yes Manny is more popular but as far as boxing goes PBF is the MAN.

[dustybin]

Doing the google test reveals Pacman as being the bigger star,with Hatton not that far behind Mayweather.And thats on the American google so god knows how much more famous he is in the far -east google search engines.
As for the money issue I think $3 million in his country goes further than $15 million in the US plus Phillippines is not a rich country like the US anyway.

[DoctorKillJoy]

Doing the google test reveals Pacman as being the bigger star,with Hatton not that far behind Mayweather.And thats on the American google so god knows how much more famous he is in the far -east google search engines.
As for the money issue I think $3 million in his country goes further than $15 million in the US plus Phillippines is not a rich country like the US anyway.

Is the google just test checking who gets more results?

Actually if the question is who has the most crossover appeal I think it would have to be Pac given all of his other ventures.. rapping, acting, politics, etc.

The answer is different for different markets, but if you're looking at who has appealed to the most people who normally wouldn't follow boxing and you look at it numerically then I think its clear.

I think Holyfield and DeLaHoya have more crossover appeal (as supported by Dios's data) in America than Mayweather, but he's probably third and as those two fade out of the scene Mayweather is likely to be the guy.

[moofo]

It's a shame for Floyd that you don't have Pantomime in the USA.

[DIOS DOMINICANO]

I think Holyfield and DeLaHoya have more crossover appeal (as supported by Dios's data) in America than Mayweather, but he's probably third and as those two fade out of the scene Mayweather is likely to be the guy.

Holyfield and DLH have - by far - more recognition than PBF. What works in Floyd's favour, is that he has upside. He is at the top of the - and his - game. Those other guys have peaked.

But sports is a weird thing. Sometimes, you get some endorsers who are interested in FORMER athletes (Joe Dimaggio for Mr. Coffee, George Foreman), but other endorsers want guys who are still active.

Notice that Michael Jordan does commercials for tighty-whiteys now, but not for Nike/Gatorade/etc.

[BmoreBrawler]

"like it or not", Floyd is the face of boxing

Bull****, Mike Tyson is still the face of Boxing.