Al Haymon and PBC are wiping out the competition
I wrote awhile back that PBC was destroying the market place, and I continue to be proven correct week in and week out.
After Mayweather retired, like really retired, the PPV market in boxing evaporated, many (including this writer) believed it would never recover, or approach the heights it did when Floyd was wrecking the sport.
Al Haymon meanwhile had a plan, and while it took time to really get cooking, to see what he has thrust upon the boxing world is unbelievable, I can still remember posters on this website calling PBC a failure, mocking Haymon for wasting money on an idea that would never work, even Thomas Hauser got in on the act.
In 2018-2019, PBC has put on top rated show, after top rated show, and also produced moderately successful PPV's consistently.
The terrestrial broadcasts have done very well, even the shi/tty fights are attracting viewers, advertising revenue is skyrocketing, the shows hosted by fighters, and the innovative approach to cover the fights between fights has elevated the brand to HBO levels.
Because PBC offers so many free fights, fans are fine with paying for a PPV a couple times a year, and my gosh has the cash rolled in.
Wilder/Fury, Garcia/Spence, Manny/Broner, Manny/Thurman, Spence/Porter, these shows have reinvigorated the PPV market while also monopolizing it, PBC is making money hand over fist because of the PPV model the company in place, and the fact that it's only competition in the market place does not have the substance to present acceptable PPVS for the asking price.
ESPN is losing money every time they stage a show, it's gotten so bad, that they are paying fighters that draw 3000 paying customers 8 figure salaries, Top Rank is a loser for ESPN because the company itself is no longer signing enough elite fighters to support such a venture, they just dont have the talent, the depth, or really the leadership to even be mentioned in the same breath as PBC, it's only a matter of time before Disney cuts the cord, Arum will then turn to DAZN, if DAZN is still in boxing.
DAZN was a novel idea, but it has been a big loser thus far, and it lacks the PPV model, so fighters can't really make on the spot upside, there is bonuses for subscription spikes, but the thresholds are ludicrous, most fighters don't see anything from them. So the simple problem here, is the company spent a ton of money with a dubious long term plan, signed talent to massivefront loaded contracts, and didn't really have streams of revenue to offset the impending overhead, fans to did not purchase enough subscriptions to support half of what the company attempted to do, DAZN failed because of a bad business plan so to speak.
They committed an ridiculous amount of money to fighters without a clear way to make some of the money back, which PPV revenue would address.
If DAZN offered terrestrial options, had a PPV model in place that was competitive, and did not depend so heavily on fighters that are not American, or from Europe, they might be able to stay in the game for a couple years, that is not the case, so at this point, DAZN is a sinking ship, they will start buying out contracts, and reducing dates within 2 years.
A big part of DAZN going into the tank was AJ turning out to be somewhat of a fraudulent ATG, that hurt the network, they envisioned AJ as a new age Joe Louis, figured he would drive subscriptions, but even before Ruiz kicked his a$$, AJ was not moving the needle, his numbers on Showtime were a joke prior to DAZN, and his first fight on DAZN did nothing for DAZN's subscription base, AJ's lack of appeal in America was something DAZN could have anticipated if they did some research, only now are they hedging on offering AJ a boatload of cash with his contract expired.
If AJ lives up to the hype, perhaps the subscription model would have sustained, but he didn't, and thus, DAZN is headed for the tank.
PBC is winning while everyone else is losing, it's enough that Haymon's team has wiped out the comp skynet style, but DAZN and ESPN are folding tents independent of PBC because they don't have enough talent, enough streams of revenue, not to mention PBC's fighters have far more advanced media profiles as a group.
Some have argued that Haymon's goal to create UFC of boxing, and while it's debatable if that is good or bad for the sport, there is no debate that is where things are headed in terms of the American television market.
Look at the numbers, look at the talent, look at the benefactors supporting the companies, who would you bet on?
PBC has angel investors, and they are preparing to furnish the next round.
Haymon is going to sell a portion of his shares, obtain series C financing, and expand his relationships, sign even more fighters, and continue to pump out PPV's while offering an increasingly popular free television option.
It would not be out of the question for investors to spot him a billion minus his windfall for selling shares, at that point, he will be thinking IPO, which will change the sport forever.
Heads up everyone, it's Al Haymon's world, we are just living in it, against a backdrop of people hating him because he is black,, he outsmarted the entire industry, made all of his clients rich, and will retire a billionaire many times over.
Even the haters have to respect the hustle.
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