When and why did the midnight main events become standard?

I watched fights today for almost 12 hours straight. The UK card I started at 3. Then I went into the Dazn card at 630. Ufc mixed with that and we all know about the delay. Canelo vs Kovalev started too late and after that, I started the berchelt/Sosa card around 220 and just finished on my dvr(skipped commercials) I was actually falling asleep earlier but I lasted. I can’keep doing this

Time zones...it's always been that way with big bucks and TV. The Oscars show starts at 6pm from California which isn't glamorous, but it's already 9pm in New York. In the radio era, shows were broadcast from NYC and most times, the performers would do it live at 8pm or 9pm and then go out to dinner and come back in three hours to do it live again, for the West Coast. But all they were doing was reading from a script they didn't even memorize. I do feel bad when a Brit has to stay up and it's 3am or something, to see a fight thanks to screwy time zones. It's rarely the reverse. We can watch a late evening British match at a normal time. (A big problem in England though, is lousy bus and trains, so if I fight card drags, people have to leave to get that final bus or train before there ain't none). A lot of times I don't bother watching live, and just get it off the Internet one way or another, a day later, and watch it when I feel like watching it.

Move out here! I was awake for several hours after the Usyk fight. Lol

Yeah, I mean, I'm a night owl and even I think they should be starting earlier. I remember Pac and Mayweather didn't get started until late but that was a huge fight and so I didn't mind but now it's every fight or so it seems. And that was the same day as game 7 of the Spurs vs clippers 1st round matchup that we lost by 2.

The older I get the harder for me to stay up to these underwhelming main events/cards I'm a night person, but I had been in front of the tv since 4 pm on saturday for the UK card. After that disgraceful Warrington main event was over, I started watching the UFC card and looked at that simultaneously with the USYK/Witherspoon. I basically missed Bivol fight and put all of my attention to the JJ vs Waterson main event on UFC which was a war.

It's crazy how we keep VHS tapes of things that are on youtube right now :rofl: yeah,but I got a lot of college basketball, NBA, wrestling, and boxing that's not on youtube. A lot!!!! A lot of TNF classics aren't on youtube and whole fight cards. I remember saturdays before big fights, the whole day, they'd play nothing but full press conferences and interviews leading up to the fight on wild feeds for the big sattelite dishes if you had one. That stuff isn't on youtube. I have hundreds of tapes. 1997 Boxeo tournament, Cedric Cushner Cards, HTS(DC Home Team Sports channel) cards, etc.. I even see the Tyson vs Spinks post fight press confernce(Tyson with the green t shirt) on youtube listed as 'rare". That wasn't rare at all. it was on regular tv that monday night after the fight Another thing was the Tyson vs Holyfield II fight card. I never forgot that girl who sang the national anthem. She was gorgeous. So many years later I found her on facebook and instagram and she's still pretty. Even she doesn't have a copy of singing the national anthem in that fight hahha.

Most PPV's and large fight cards start at 6pm on the west coast. When I have fight parties most of my guest don't come until almost fight time (of the main event).

The older I get the harder for me to stay up to these underwhelming main events/cards

Go to bed Boomers Respect your elders, young gun

I went to school on the east coast and hated how late sporting events started. Growing up in California you could enjoy a big fight and still go out after on a Saturday night. I live in TX now and it’s better but a main event for boxing or UFC not starting until midnight or later is something I don’t miss.

I like late night fights but then again i'm a night owl

That sucked! They aired the main event too damn late.

Yesterday was a big day for combat sports. The Warrington UK card, Joanna Champion vs Waterson UFC card, and Usyk/Witherspoon card. UFC does it because fights are taking place on the west cost and they are 3 hours behind the east, but why would a fight in Chicago need to start at 11 pm(midnight EST). And even when UFC have fights in NY, they still start them late. I remember when main events, even on the west, were over by midnight. I was tired last night watching that Usyk's peck-fest fight and I was fighting sleep. It's bad enough that there are no more big fights during the week here in Amerika, but the late late main events have not been kind to us on the east. i love it when big fights are in the UK because I at least get to watch them in the afternoon. What is the reason for midnight main events. I understand basketball games starting at 730(1030 EST) but fights though? After everyone has been drinking for hours(I don't drink. I'm talking about other fans) What time do the college football games end?

Tyson vs Ncneely was early. I remember the main event starting around 10. I still have that whole card in vhs I recorded that night. It's crazy how we keep VHS tapes of things that are on youtube right now :rofl:

Back when the fights were in Vegas, I remember main events starting around midnight EST. Its ****ing bull**** now that cards on the east coast aren't getting started until that late too. Especially when the fights end up being garbage. Tyson vs Ncneely was early. I remember the main event starting around 10. I still have that whole card in vhs I recorded that night.

Speaking of time differences, what East coast time are the the main cards in Saudi Arabia going to start in the Joshua vs Ruiz fight?

Back when the fights were in Vegas, I remember main events starting around midnight EST. Its ****ing bull**** now that cards on the east coast aren't getting started until that late too. Especially when the fights end up being garbage. I think they have more set times for the feature and co-feature (if there is one) For example, if things are running later than expected, the 3rd4th of last fight gets moved to being the last fight/s. I remember late 2014 when Fury was fighting Chisora, the fight ran so late most people had to leave during the fight (there was a lot of complaints about this that night/days following. The co-feature was Saunders vs Eubank, that was a fine fight, but the rest of the stacked card was a joke and they should have been moved to later, to let the crowd watch the fights they actually paid to see - Fury vs Chisora and Saunders vs Eubank. The main fight should always start at 11pm at latest. Ideally 10-10:30. That was just one example, this happens all the time with UK and U.S. fights.

Back when the fights were in Vegas, I remember main events starting around midnight EST. Its ****ing bull**** now that cards on the east coast aren't getting started until that late too. Especially when the fights end up being garbage.