remember when boxing was on ABC?

[freedom213]

This is when i first started watching boxing and it still had such a huge following. What will it take to get boxing back to this level of popularity? It seems to have died away even at the grass roots level? Is it a cultural thing, a shying away from a sport percieved as too violent? I live in a relatively small midwestern town and when i was a kid we had at least one boxing gym within 20 minutes. It seems like there is a lack of kids/people that want to participate. Id like to get some one else's perspective on this, ideas?

[DLT]

PPV's killed boxing. It was at its best when it was on CBS and stuff. It also gave fighters a different aura that people are now too dumb to get.

By that I mean that nowdays everyone acts like the guys in the 80's are 10x better then the guys who fight now but its not true at all. In some cases it is but there are alot of guys from this era who would still be highly succesful in that era. The difference is that they fought on basic cable channels and everyone knew them. Nowdays, its all premium cable and PPV. If the fighters today got that same kind of expousre then we would be appreciating them more.

Dont tell me that guys like Floyd, Hopkins, Winky, MAB, EM, Pac, RJ, Toney, Mosley, and so on wouldnt be great in that era

[HendrixLove]

PPV's killed boxing. It was at its best when it was on CBS and stuff. It also gave fighters a different aura that people are now too dumb to get.

By that I mean that nowdays everyone acts like the guys in the 80's are 10x better then the guys who fight now but its not true at all. In some cases it is but there are alot of guys from this era who would still be highly succesful in that era. The difference is that they fought on basic cable channels and everyone knew them. Nowdays, its all premium cable and PPV. If the fighters today got that same kind of expousre then we would be appreciating them more.

Dont tell me that guys like Floyd, Hopkins, Winky, MAB, EM, Pac, RJ, Toney, Mosley, and so on wouldnt be great in that era

Yeah, that **** pisses me off. Though I met a lot of older people that still really enjoy todays boxing.

[Kball15]

Fact of the matter is boxing SHOULD be that popular.

But PPV's, the lack of a real SUPERMEGASTAR, and a herrendous heavyweight division hold the sport back.

We are in a GOLDEN ERA of worldwide success in the sport. Europe has major players, Japan and the phillapines do, hell even canada has some really good prospects and contenders.

Boxing just isnt popular in the US. Its THE sport in the Phillapines. Nonito Donaire, after his upset win over Darchinyan, was on THE COVER of EVERY MAJOR NEWSPAPER in the phillapines if you can believe that.

If ABC got a major star to sign with them and have all there fights on ABC, boxing could make a comeback. It already is making a comeback with the Fall Spectacualr

[Ace Rockolla]

Here's how you could bring back boxing's popularity in the US:

Get a big-time matchup. Make a deal to air the fight on one of the big three networks (ABC, CBS, or NBC). Hype the **** out of it. Your audience for that fight would include so many "first-timers" and people who might have strayed from the sport, which is exactly what boxing needs: more exposure. The only thing is you would have to make sure it was an exciting fight. If those newcomers all tuned in to see Cory Spinks and Jermain Taylor dancing around the ring they would never give boxing a second chance. It would have to be a matchup that was sure to entertain.

Of course, we all know this would never happen because, like I said, it would need to be a big-time matchup to build interest, and no promotion company is going to pass up on the PPV money that comes with a big time matchup. Promoters care more about the bottom line than the betterment of the sport. Unfortunately, as long as all the big fights remain on PPV and out of the sight of the general public, boxing will never see any type of large gains in popularity.

[ßringer]

Too much money to be made in having it on premium cable and pay-per-view. Boxing is a business first and a sport second, it's sad but it's true. I'll be a fan until the day I die though. If a boxing gym were within an hour of my City I'd be training instead of talking.

[Lazy Liberal]

I remember when boxing was on ABC,CBS,NBC and Usa Network. Those were the good old days. I remember seeing fights on the USa network ,live from the Blue Horizon with my dad on the TV. Alex Wallau and Dan Dierdorf calling the shots on SAturday was the ****. Then on NBC you had Albert and Pacheco and on CBS you had Tim Ryan. I can't believe that the networks would rather show NASCAR and beach volleyball rather than boxing. It all comes down to the perceived economic side of things, but the executives are making a big mistake by underestimating the boxing fan. Would it really hurt them to show a boxing fight instead of professional bowling ? I guess it does.

[freedom213]

I remember when boxing was on ABC,CBS,NBC and Usa Network. Those were the good old days. I remember seeing fights on the USa network ,live from the Blue Horizon with my dad on the TV. Alex Wallau and Dan Dierdorf calling the shots on SAturday was the ****. Then on NBC you had Albert and Pacheco and on CBS you had Tim Ryan. I can't believe that the networks would rather show NASCAR and beach volleyball rather than boxing. It all comes down to the perceived economic side of things, but the executives are making a big mistake by underestimating the boxing fan. Would it really hurt them to show a boxing fight instead of professional bowling ? I guess it does.

how could i forget the fights on USA? that really brings back some memories. i think you are right about the networks underestimating how well boxing could do for them

[freedom213]

Here's how you could bring back boxing's popularity in the US:

Get a big-time matchup. Make a deal to air the fight on one of the big three networks (ABC, CBS, or NBC). Hype the **** out of it. Your audience for that fight would include so many "first-timers" and people who might have strayed from the sport, which is exactly what boxing needs: more exposure. The only thing is you would have to make sure it was an exciting fight. If those newcomers all tuned in to see Cory Spinks and Jermain Taylor dancing around the ring they would never give boxing a second chance. It would have to be a matchup that was sure to entertain.

Of course, we all know this would never happen because, like I said, it would need to be a big-time matchup to build interest, and no promotion company is going to pass up on the PPV money that comes with a big time matchup. Promoters care more about the bottom line than the betterment of the sport. Unfortunately, as long as all the big fights remain on PPV and out of the sight of the general public, boxing will never see any type of large gains in popularity.

i could maybe see goldenboy promotions trying this at some point

[-Antonio-]

It seems like the obvious thing to do since it would help a lot. ABC is probably the most watched channel on TV. Imagine having Vasquez/Marquez on ABC. People would have been flipping through the channels and I bet most of them would have stopped and watched for a little bit. It brings on more viewers and potential fans. Its how you build up stars too. I wish they would do it.