With the Pacquiao-Cotto fight ("Firepower") roughly a month away, tickets are available in nearly all sections.
I spoke with a trusted insider who said that this fight is not doing big business, and there were troubling signs for the gate. I was skeptical because of the Arum pronouncements - even keeping in mind that Arum often inflates his numbers.
Well, it's true. Contrary to earlier pronouncements that the fight was "sold out"....
a) The MGM Grand, the host hotel, has not sold out of rooms. Hotel reservations for that weekend in Vegas, on the whole, has not ****ed.
Avg rates that weekend include $117 at the Hard Rock, and $152 @ MGM.
b) Ticket brokers have seats available in all sections, at all pricing levels:
c) More troubling, TicketMaster has plenty of seats still for sale and is still promoting sales for the fight.
d) Some available seating sections have yet to be opened at all. Attendees of the Cotto-Margarito fight may be aware of how the MGM can "section off" some seats.
If this fight (which is expected to be a FOTY candidate) can't sell out, is that indicative of the state of boxing? Or more indicative of the inability of either Pacquiao and/or Cotto to galvanize fans?
What are you guys hearing?
I spoke with a trusted insider who said that this fight is not doing big business, and there were troubling signs for the gate. I was skeptical because of the Arum pronouncements - even keeping in mind that Arum often inflates his numbers.
Well, it's true. Contrary to earlier pronouncements that the fight was "sold out"....
a) The MGM Grand, the host hotel, has not sold out of rooms. Hotel reservations for that weekend in Vegas, on the whole, has not ****ed.
Avg rates that weekend include $117 at the Hard Rock, and $152 @ MGM.
b) Ticket brokers have seats available in all sections, at all pricing levels:
c) More troubling, TicketMaster has plenty of seats still for sale and is still promoting sales for the fight.
d) Some available seating sections have yet to be opened at all. Attendees of the Cotto-Margarito fight may be aware of how the MGM can "section off" some seats.
If this fight (which is expected to be a FOTY candidate) can't sell out, is that indicative of the state of boxing? Or more indicative of the inability of either Pacquiao and/or Cotto to galvanize fans?
What are you guys hearing?
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