Not many people are gonna watch Mayweather/DLH

[kayjay]

Wire.....

You started off by saying this fight has a great chance of setting the record for the most PPV buys.....then say the high price tag is holding it back.
Well, then what the hell was it that kept the previous PPV from doing better than this one will do ?

I don't get it.

The high price tag is not preventing it from doing great PPV numbers relative to other boxing matches, it's preventing the event from being seen by mass audiences. His point is that even if ten million people total (2 million buys x 5 people watching per buy) are to watch the fight, that's not nearly as many as would watch if the fight were more easily (and affordably) available.

I think he makes a fair point; it's not a doomsday point, just reminding that even a 'big' event is still being sold only to a relative fringe market.

[jabsRstiff]

The high price tag is not preventing it from doing great PPV numbers relative to other boxing matches, it's preventing the event from being seen by mass audiences. His point is that even if ten million people total (2 million buys x 5 people watching per buy) are to watch the fight, that's not nearly as many as would watch if the fight were more easily (and affordably) available.

I think he makes a fair point; it's not a doomsday point, just reminding that even a 'big' event is still being sold only to a relative fringe market.

Fine. But, what then makes it different from all other PPV's, if it is going to draw in MORE people ?
Couldn't this same thread be created about every PPV in history ?

[kayjay]

Fine. But, what then makes it different from all other PPV's, if it is going to draw in MORE people ?
Couldn't this same thread be created about every PPV in history ?

By implication, it is being made; the fact that boxing fights are PPV events means only a fringe culture watches them. The Super Bowl by contrast is free but creates revenue through advertisements. It makes at least as much money, but more people see it.

What if a network bought the rights to a fight like this, and sold the commercial slots at near-SB rates? Could it profit while showing a fight to a mass audience in this day and age? I don't know the answer to this.

[The Wire]

Fine. But, what then makes it different from all other PPV's, if it is going to draw in MORE people ?
Couldn't this same thread be created about every PPV in history ?

Exactly. That's my point. I'm using this huge fight to show how in general ppv's hurt boxing. 12 million people (ish) will watch the fight in the states whereas every match in the football (soccer) world cup - EVERY MATCH - averaged 93 MILLION viewers. The final was viewed by 333 millon!!! During the superbowl, advertising is sold at $2.2 million for every 30 seconds. The 2006 superbowl was reportedly viewed by 97 million people. These are the sort of events that, in my opinion, a fight like this should be competing with in terms of appeal.

Boxing is an incredibly popular sport when marketed correctly - look at Amir Khan vs Mario Kindelan and Danny Williams vs Audley Harrison over here. I had loads of people coming up to me after that telling me that they had watched it, particularly with Khan. I had girls who thought boring was the worst sport on the planet coming up to me and telling me they had enjoyed it, and I had loads of people coming up to me after the Audley fight telling me how **** boxing was (goddamn you A-Farce). Who is the most famous sportsman of all time, globally? Muhammad Ali. Rocky is one of the most popular films of all time and one that almost everyone has seen a la Star Wars or The Godfather.

My point isn't that this shouldnt be a ppv but that promoters could make more money in the long run from advertising revenue if boxing were generally free. More people would know about it. Whilst it's not ppv, if boxing were bigger in the states it would probably be bigger all over the world.

To the guy that said there will always be a demand for boxing - you're absolutely right, of course there will. But as I said, John H Stracey vs Jose Napoles drew hundreds of millions of viewers world wide. That fight wasnt as big as this one - boxing was just more popular because it was more accessible. Those days can come back.

My point of the thread title is that whilst, yes, ppv records might be broken for this fight, 12 million people is not a lot of people and that a hell of a lot more should be interested and should be watching what should be a great advertising for the greatest sport on the planet.

[kayjay]

The Brit promoters are to blame for treating Harrison as if he ever had a chance to do anything but disgrace his sport; every boxing fan worth a **** knew he ******; they better not make the same mistake with Haye.

[The Wire]

The Brit promoters are to blame for treating Harrison as if he ever had a chance to do anything but disgrace his sport; every boxing fan worth a **** knew he ******; they better not make the same mistake with Haye.

Not a Haye fan?

[-Antonio-]

2 million buys could equal 50 million people. Wrestling has 12-16 PPVs a year for 35 bucks each btw. They do just fine. Not as big as they used to be but just fine. Boxing needs to be on cable television more than they need to stop the ppvs, although that would help too.

[Sweet Pea 50]

Oh and by the way, sorry about the Canadian and European comment. It was just my big fat American mouth speaking before thinking. I still think that 2 million ppv buys is still great for boxing.

[The Wire]

2 million buys could equal 50 million people.

I don't think it could. Whilst you might get a load of people watching it in bars there will equally be a lot of people watching it on their own or with just two or three people. I think an average of 6 people per buy is fair.

[Dimebar]

If the fight is going to break previous PPV records, despite its high asking price......then it will be a huge success.

Obviously, whether Europeans are gonna buy it or not- DOESN'T MATTER.

Who gives a **** about Europeans??