Atlas: It was probably smart for HBO to pass on Mayweather deal.

Ray13y ago

1 BACK TO FRONT PAGE TEDDY ATLAS: "IT WAS PROBABLY SMART FOR HBO TO PASS...FLOYD MADE A GOOD DEAL" By Percy Crawford | April 02, 2013 "I think that it was probably smart for HBO to pass...I think Floyd made a good deal. He's a good business man and I think he did good for himself. I think he made a good deal for himself and I think HBO might have made a good deal for themselves by passing on it because the caliber of opponents that are a part of that deal…and I can be proven wrong, but I don't think that it translates into the pay-per-view numbers to make money for the bottom line to be there. I don't think the bottom line is going to be there for Showtime," stated ESPN commentator and world-class trainer Teddy Atlas, who shared his thoughts on Floyd Mayweather's move to Showtime, the battle between the networks, and much more. Check it out! PC: HBO decided to severe ties with Golden Boy Promotions. What do you make of that and how does it affect the sport? TA: Look, I don't know what these guys do behind closed doors; all I know is I wish that the boxing business was cleaner. I wish it was more transparent, but it's not. I wish it was more honest, but it's not. And I wish that I can only point and blame the promoters for having dirty hands, but I can't. It's everybody. Everybody in the sport has culpability. Everybody is involved in the game and this is part of the game. There is more structure and transparency in baseball, football, and basketball because there has to be for the credibility of the sport and for the existence of the sport. But boxing gets away without that transparency. And it's been a long time. It's been a long time; let's not fool ourselves. And these big networks, Showtime and HBO, they buy fights just from certain guys. Why? Why? On one hand, it's because there are relationships. Whatever relationships that exist and why they exist, they exist. And the byproduct and the end result of those relationships, only certain guys get fights and it's not right. And if it was any other business, baseball, football or basketball, they would have people in place to make sure it didn't happen. And if it happened, people would be taken off in handcuffs. But it happens in boxing because nobody looks because there is not that structure. But it happens and we move on. And who suffers? The fighters suffer and the fans suffer because you don't get the best fights and fighters out there; if they aren't with the select few that have these relationships, you don't get a chance to fight there. They don't get an opportunity to fight there. All I can say is it's been going on for a long time. There are all of these alliances. I'm not afraid to say things because I know what I'm saying and it bothers me. There are some unholy alliances in this business. Are there unholy alliances in the garbage business? Yeah, there are, but there is somebody put in place to watch and something there to police that. There is something there to stop those unholy alliances from continuing so that it doesn't affect the manufacturer and so that it doesn't affect the consumer and so that it doesn't go down the line. There is always something put into place that will keep those unholy alliances from getting to a certain point. There is nothing in place in our sport. Now HBO finally broke alliances with Golden Boy because they got pissed off Golden Boy was taking their fighters over to Showtime and they finally said, "The hell with this, stay over there." Good! Maybe that's a good thing. We will see. But maybe it's a good thing. We will see where it leads. But maybe now, instead of just doing business with one client and that being the only client, maybe this will open up the doors for other fighters. All of the deserving fighters and deserving people out there with regular promoters, not just the big shot cats. Maybe that will give them a chance to knock on the door and bring their product and give the fans a chance to see that product. Maybe this will create the ability for other people to share the wealth. Maybe other fighters will get the chance to have that exposure. Maybe that's what it will lead to. And I sure hope it will. PC: Floyd Mayweather has decided to have Showtime, instead of his long-time network HBO, televise the rest of his fights. In the process of that, he became the highest paid athlete in the world. What are your thoughts on Floyd going to Showtime as well as the numbers involved in the deal? TA: I think that it was probably smart for HBO to pass. I like Floyd. I'm one of the guys that like him. Some people have gotten mad at me and called me an apologist for Floyd. I'm not his apologist. I happen to like him. I think there is more to him than what people see. He is a decent kid who gets a little screwed up and certain things happen sometimes, but I don't think he is a malicious kid. I think he is a terrific fighter on top of it, but I understand where he comes from. He comes from a place where sometimes we can say things and get a little crooked and a little bent. And it's wrong, but I don't see him as a bad guy. I see the whole picture with Floyd and I see the whole package. I think Floyd made a good deal. He's a good business man and I think he did good for himself. I think he made a good deal for himself and I think HBO might have made a good deal for themselves by passing on it because the caliber of opponents that are a part of that deal…and I can be proven wrong, but I don't think that it translates into the pay-per-view numbers to make money for the bottom line to be there. I don't think the bottom line is going to be there for Showtime. Maybe I'm wrong. Floyd does a good job, I know that, but you have to be put with a dance partner. You have to be and I don't think the dance partners that is on the radar that they were trying to sell to HBO, and HBO passed on it and Showtime took it, I don't think those dance partners are going to cut the mustard to the fans down the road to where they are going to get the numbers that they are going to have to get for that contract to make sense to them. Maybe I'm wrong. But it makes sense for Floyd and I think he did a great job, but I don't know if it will make sense for Showtime. And I think of it that way from a business standpoint. HBO probably did a smart thing in passing on that one because of the names on that roster. PC: Before I let you go, is there any chance we see you back in someone's corner teaching the sport of boxing soon, because the game misses you? TA: I had an agreement with Povetkin and his team. I helped make him a world champion like I said I would a few years ago. I put 2 ½ years into him and he gave me his word that he would do what he is supposed to do and I would do what I'm supposed to do. And I did for 2 ½ years. I walked away from a $2 million fight with Klitschko. $200,000 would have gone to me and my family and I got vilified for it. People on the internet and the promoters went after me and said you're destroying Povetkin's career. I said I'm not gonna let him go into that fight where I know he can't win, I know he is going to get destroyed, and his career would be over. I'm not gonna do it. I would make $200,000 and he gets $2 million, of which he's not gonna make nearly that amount when everybody takes their share. I'm not gonna do it. I stood by what I thought was right. I said if we wait and do the right thing, something else would come along, I will have a chance to develop him and then he would have a better chance of winning when the time comes. Sure enough, a year later, he had a chance to fight Chagaev, so a guy that stood at 6'5" and weighed 265 pounds with 55 fights or a guy that's 6'2" and weighed 230 pounds and was 33 years old with 25 fights. And we won the heavyweight title; the WBA heavyweight title. Then he defended it 3 times and made money and the Klitschko fight was still in front of him and he could make more than $2 million; maybe 5, 6 or 7 million dollars, whatever it is. I did everything that I said I would do when I made the deal with them. They didn't do everything that they said they would do. They broke their word. They didn't come over here to train. Once they won the title, all of a sudden, they are not coming over here to train no more and I don't want to be let down anymore. I'm not crying. I'm a big boy. I have been in a tough business all of my life. I do what I have to do and I be accountable for what I have to be accountable for, but I still believe in people keeping their word and I don't want to be around bad business where people can break their word anymore. PC: I don't blame you one bit. Teddy, it's always a pleasure speaking with you and I wish you the best with everything that you have going on. Thanks for your time. TA: You are a good man. No problem!

Comments (15)

BURNER

Who gives a sh*t I just hope both networks put on good fights.

13y ago

elfag

Teddy is usually an ******* but he is spot on here. The only thing is I am not as optimistic as him. HBO dumping GBP because they used showtime isnt neccisarily moving in a new direction, its also reinforcing that matches are made by relationships. If it was transparent as we want than HBO would just make fight deals on a fight by fight basis based on the merit of that fight and not want a company to only work with them. We'll see. Maybe Showtime hit gold. Maybe they'll end up in a giant contract with a guy who either retires before he fights the six fights or rapidly declines after one or two. I can understand HBO passing. The Golden Boy split is a huge deal, and hopefully doesn't last long. It's dangerously close to a point where boxing really is separate leagues. We've been straddling that line for a few years now, and might be a reality at this point. IDK all of the contract but it was supposed to be "up to 250 million" with "6 fights in 2 years" or something like that. I dont think the put out ALL of the details but it sounds like they have a lot of flexibility on showtimes end and all 6 fights certainly arent happening in 2 years.

13y ago

Bushbaby

Teddy always speaks what he believes, whether he's right or not. The game is messed up and I agree with most of what he said.

13y ago

leonthegee

HBO did the right thing. they've been trying to get Floyd to fight tough fights but Floyd's always ducks them. there is no way Showtime can get Floyd to fight any really challenging fight. Showtime is gonna lose money on this deal Showtimes deal was money. They were able to land Broner, Canelo, Floyd, and all the young talent thats on GBP roster. GBP has 140 thru 154, the weight classes that matter, on lock. And thats were the revenue is going to come from and TR doesnt have the depth in those weight classes. Its an arms race and Showtime is stacking up weapons.

13y ago

Redd_Foxx

Great article. Personally, I think showtime was foolish to dump all that money into a fighter at the tail end of his career.

13y ago

The_Big_Dunn

I kinda think this is why HBO passed on the Floyd deal. I think Floyd wanted a guarantee and maybe HBO wasn't going to do that unless they had a commitment of certain fighters HBO wanted to see him in. I'm sure HBO would've bought Mayweather vs Canelo, but not Mayweather vs Guerrero, Alexander, Matthysse, Garcia, etc. Cause you have to ask, why would HBO not put all their chips on the table for Floyd after doing business with him for so long? I'm on the boat that they weren't going to get the return they wanted in relation to what fighters GBP/Haymon had lined up for Floyd. Ghost fight wasnt a problem because they had ghost on before and he did well. I agree with you about Canelo. I just think HBO offered floyd a deal but Haymon went to showtime and said beat this by this much and floyd will come to showtime. Floyd also has the out clause in this deal. Not until we get over that hurdle will this be anything more than a one fight deal.

13y ago

RL_GMA

My question about the Showtime deal has always been how much say does Showtime have in who Floyd fights? If they gave all that power up to Floyd or Haymon I think that was a huge mistake. Floyd is going to be content fighting the Guerrero's and Devon Alexander's of the world instead of taking challenges. Especially if he has a guarantee from Showtime no matter who he fights. I would hope someone at Showtime would have addressed this, and for all i know the did. I kinda think this is why HBO passed on the Floyd deal. I think Floyd wanted a guarantee and maybe HBO wasn't going to do that unless they had a commitment of certain fighters HBO wanted to see him in. I'm sure HBO would've bought Mayweather vs Canelo, but not Mayweather vs Guerrero, Alexander, Matthysse, Garcia, etc. Cause you have to ask, why would HBO not put all their chips on the table for Floyd after doing business with him for so long? I'm on the boat that they weren't going to get the return they wanted in relation to what fighters GBP/Haymon had lined up for Floyd.

13y ago

bojangles1987

13y ago

QballLobo

13y ago

ELPacman

Mostly what Atlas says is real talk. Honestly, the worst thing that happens with boxing is the fact that there is no, if fighter C beats fighter B, he automatically has to face A. It's about whose the bigger draws and what type fights can demand the most money regardless if the fans want it or not, and regardless if the fighters involved deserve the fight or not. This truely sucks and I think is one of the main reason boxing has a hard time accepting new fans to the sport when they know there is no actual structure. In all these other sports you can have fantasy style managing on the side and know what will happen if this team beats that team, etc. In boxing, there is no assurance because it's ruled by the promoters and who they deem should fight who.

13y ago

ELPacman

13y ago

RL_GMA

I disagree with Atlas a lot, but I said this last week about the HBO deal. I have no doubt that Floyd's team/ Al Haymon/ GBP presented HBO with options A) B) C), and HBO might've still offered Floyd the deal, but not what he necessarily wanted financially. So what does Showtime do? Just throw all the chips down on the table and let it ride. I mean, let's think about it...if we're ONLY going to see Floyd against Golden Boy fighters between 140-154, who realistically will make a big PPV outside of Canelo beating Trout in April? And if Trout wins is Floyd going to fight a prime, legit 154lber at 36-37? I don't side with either of the networks because as long as there's Boxing I'll watch it, but HBO MIGHT HAVE made a smart move in the long run.

13y ago

The_Big_Dunn

good post Ray. I agree with Teddy. he is an espn employee and espn and HBO have a partnership now so I dont think he can say anything else. But I agree with him, HBO was smart to pass on this kind of deal and should get back to making good fights and get out of the star business. I hope floyd takes the out on the showtime deal. Everytime I watch showtime the production just looks amatuerish. ANd I dont care to see him in with any ww other than manny or tim moving forward.

13y ago

The_Big_Dunn

good post Ray. I agree with Teddy. he is an espn employee and espn nd HBO have a partnership now so I dont think he can say anything else. But I agree with him, HBO was smart to pass on this kind of deal and should get back to making good fights and get out of the star business. I hope floyd takes the out on the showtime deal. Everytime I watch showtime the production just looks amatuerish. ANd I dont care to see him in with any ww other than manny or tim moving forward.

13y ago

bojangles1987

We'll see. Maybe Showtime hit gold. Maybe they'll end up in a giant contract with a guy who either retires before he fights the six fights or rapidly declines after one or two. I can understand HBO passing. The Golden Boy split is a huge deal, and hopefully doesn't last long. It's dangerously close to a point where boxing really is separate leagues. We've been straddling that line for a few years now, and might be a reality at this point.

13y ago