New study reveals boxing's fan base has almost doubled this decade

[croz]

Was 37 million around 2000 and now in 2012 it's 50 million. Another MMA payout article mentioned the UFC's fan base is around 8-10 million.

The writer pegs this on the influx of Mexicans but he doesn't really say why he thinks this. In fact he seems to contradict himself by saying another popular Mexican sport, pro-wrestling, has declined.

There are around 33 million Mexicans in the US and more than likely only a smaller percentage would be boxing fans. It's possible to attribute some of the growth to Mexicans but not most of it.



http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/10/4...-combat-sports

As far as boxing, which has also seen an increase in fans over the last 10 years, Dave Meltzer in the latest Wrestling Observer states (subscription required) that this is primarily down to the Hispanic market.

A big key is the emergence in numbers of the Hispanic audience, where boxing is the second biggest sport next to soccer. Those numbers have increased over the past decade from 37.4 million to 50.7 million, and will continue to increase over the next decade. What makes that strange is that pro wrestling is twice as popular with the Hispanic audience in the U.S. than the white audience, so whatever growth boxing should have because of it should be mirrored by wrestling. It’s hard to say why that isn’t the case. Boxing hasn’t had that superstar Hispanic since Oscar De La Hoya, and wrestling really hasn’t had one in decades. Eddy Guerrero was close before his death and was the biggest since the heyday of Mil Mascaras (who was a superstar only regionally in the U.S.), but to really draw from that type of audience, the guy has to be No. 1, not No. 5 when it comes to being pushed as the serious top star of the brand.

[Capaedia]

Excellent news, but I'm sure a large part of it would be due to the Philippines.

By the way, that isn't almost doubling. That's increasing by about a quarter.

If it doubled it would be around 80 million, not 50.

[Dr Rumack]

How does this tally with boxing's viewing figures?

[croz]

Originally Posted by Dr Rumack

How does this tally with boxing's viewing figures?

Boxing is on HBO. Only a small percentage in the US have HBO and a channel like that likely wouldn't attract even most boxing fans. Coupled with the fact the last Canelo fight showed that Showtime and HBO have almost two completely different boxing audiences to cater to, meaning not all boxing fans choose the same channels to watch boxing on.

[sapaw]

Originally Posted by Capaedia

Excellent news, but I'm sure a large part of it would be due to the Philippines.

By the way, that isn't almost doubling. That's increasing by about a quarter.

If it doubled it would be around 80 million, not 50.

Boxing was already famous in the Philippines way back... Why do you think there's was Thrilla in Manila?

[howdy potna]

Originally Posted by Capaedia

Excellent news, but I'm sure a large part of it would be due to the Philippines.

By the way, that isn't almost doubling. That's increasing by about a quarter.

If it doubled it would be around 80 million, not 50.

As well as the African American audience in the US with "Adrien Broner" and Ward.

[Capaedia]

Originally Posted by sapaw

Boxing was already famous in the Philippines way back... Why do you think there's was Thrilla in Manila?

Boxing was 'famous' in Mexico and America too.

Boxing declined, globally. Pacquiao bought many fans from the Philippines back to the sport.

Granted when he leaves, so will many of them, but some of them will be fans. That's how it works.

[howdy potna]

Originally Posted by Capaedia

Granted when he leaves, so will many of them, but some of them will be fans. That's how it works.

Possibly, as will many of the African American audience who will leave when Floyd does.

[croz]

Originally Posted by Capaedia

Boxing was 'famous' in Mexico and America too.

Boxing declined, globally. Pacquiao bought many fans from the Philippines back to the sport.

Granted when he leaves, so will many of them, but some of them will be fans. That's how it works.

Boxing has been huge in Mexico and the Philippines for Aeons now. The difference is back then they didn't have the proper boxing infrastructure like they do today. Granted it seems to be much bigger in those places now more than ever. You can look at Filipino TV listing and see them repaying Froch vs Bute on their main sport network almost 1 year later. They wouldn't even do that in the UK.

[Own3d]

50 million fans but they can't break 2 mil viewers on non PPV? How the hell did they come to that number? LOL