Comments Thread For: Boxing and The Public Trust

[TheWinners]

I've seen some good points in these forums. Yet I've also seen people hate what Al Haymon is doing with PBC. And even Bob Arum doesn't seem to like it. Yet it makes sense in order to drive PPV interest up to bring boxing to regular tv. This is basically the main point of the article after all was said.

Ward is a brilliant fighter but like Mayweather said it's not just about being good in the ring. Everyone on these boards agree that the buildup was terrible for Ward Kovalev. And the tune ups to build interest in the fight were horrible if the goal was to attract casual fans. Say what you want but I think Adonis Stevenson is a better sell than Kovalev and Ward because he has charisma. Listen to him after his fights. And he entertains when he's in the ring. Adrien Broner is a talented fighter but he's not as good as he makes people believe that he believes he is if that makes sense. But I bet he can sell just by being ignorant. Running his mouth.

I said this before, and it sucks but it's reality. Ward conducts himself like a pro and doesn't get into any of the bs outside of boxing. But he won't get credit for it. Someone less talented than him who creates a negative image in the media will draw more attention. It's a double standard because the moment Ward does something ****** as a black athlete people will hate him and destroy his image.(ask Tiger Woods).But i bet he'd probably get more viewers by being viewed as a thug or woman beater.

So I believe these boxers have to act like wrestlers and just say things to make people hate them so they can sell. I don't think in today's society that talented fighters who don't have a strong following can have a positive media image and sell. Pacquiao cotto and canelo all have a strong following. Mexicans love canelo Ricans love cotto and Filipinos love manny. If you don't have that fan base, you just have to be ignorant as hell like a wrestler and disrespect people to get it.

At the end of the day just like wrestling people will come to realize it's entertainment. And even if they don't who cares because they pay to be entertained. As mayweather proved people who hated him due to his negative image contributed to his success. It's just business.

[The D3vil]

Dude, it's extremely simple.

PPV killed boxing.

There's no other sport that could survive with only seeing stars on PPV or HBO/Showtime.

UFC realized they needed a constant presence, so they're on Fox Sports every single day. There's not one boxing show on TV, except "The Fight Game" once a month.

Where do we go to learn the backgrounds of the fighters? Where do we see the future stars training, engaging, etc. . .

Nerds make sports go round. Where do boxing nerds go to geek out on TV the way they can on the NFL/MLB/NBA networks and learn stats, fantasy points, and see archival footage of fighters past and presence. That type of **** hooks fans.

Part of what makes team sports like Football, baseball, and basketball so popular in America is that we get to watch LeBron James or Tom Brady from high-school to the pros. There's all kinds of all-star games and college games that allow us to trace these guys from amateurs to superstars.

There's nothing like that in boxing.

Maybe a guy like Andre Ward or Shakur Stevenson competes in the Olympics and we hear about it, but there's no follow up, whatsoever. WE're just expected to know who these people are and be willing to spend money on them.

Boxing will never be successful again until we get something like we had with ABC's "Wide World of Sports" where we could see stars on free TV.

Reserve only the biggest fights for PPV. Kovalev/Ward should've been on HBO like Lomachenko/Walters.

[THC]

It's a double standard because the moment Ward does something ****** as a black athlete people will hate him and destroy his image.(ask Tiger Woods).But i bet he'd probably get more viewers by being viewed as a thug or woman beater. So I believe these boxers have to act like wrestlers and just say things to make people hate them so they can sell.

While I agree that outrageous public behavior by its athletes can increase exposure to boxing, it fails to address the core problems endemic to the sport now. Certainly, in the 70s and 80s, many great fights were made and aired over broadcast TV with only rare instances of scandal (that I can recall). Also, there are other sports that do well in business despite providing an entertainment platform that's considered clean. e.g. tennis, golf. Yes, there are colorful athletes in every sport, and they do help draw more fans, but if these "stars" aren't competitive in the long run, fans lose interest just as quickly.

Boxing will never be successful again until we get something like we had with ABC's "Wide World of Sports" where we could see stars on free TV. Reserve only the biggest fights for PPV. Kovalev/Ward should've been on HBO like Lomachenko/Walters.

Yes. More exposure by bringing more compelling fights to more fans more often. This can only be done through consistent, quality product on broadcast TV every week (currently, we're being fed a spotty diet of pablum consisting primarily of infomercials via premium cable channels). Then a PPV, once a year, maybe twice maximum, for that very special fight, an extravaganza that truly sparks the imagination of sports fans in general. e.g. Ali-Frazier I, Duran-Leonard I.

[Eff Pandas]

Yes more eyes on boxing needed.

One thing I noticed the other day was that a PPV in the UK (example GGG v Brook) was around 20-25 USD, whereas Kovalev/Ward was 70 odd I think. That a big difference.

GGG/Brook did 600k buys, Kov/Ward 160k.

The cheaper model ended up with 440k pairs of eyes more on boxing, and the article suggests part of the solution is 'more eyes on boxing' however achieved.

And for sure the eyes on boxing is important, but don't forget GGG/Brook brought in more PPV money ($12M-$15M vs $11.2M) at a lower price than Kov/Ward if these numbers are correct which is the bottom line for some promoters.

I don't think boxing people in the US understand the you can shear the sheep over & over, but you can only skin the sheep once method of making money in boxing.

There is a basic economic principle that says the lower a price the more people who buy & the higher the price the fewer people who buy. And there is a sweet spot somewhere in the middle that can work out best for you with bringing in the most people for the most revenue. I think boxing in the US hasn't explored enough in recent years.