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CARE TO WASH DOWN THAT GREED WITH ANOTHER GUINNESS?
By Michael Swann
It came as no surprise that the tickets for the December 8 Floyd Mayweather Jr. -Ricky Hatton fight sold out within minutes of being placed on sale. (Actually I was a tad surprised when a British reader sent me an email saying that he had purchased tickets. I’m a cynical sort at times and I had doubts that tickets would be offered to anyone other than the promoters, casinos, and the Mayweather-Hatton allocations.)
The real surprise, however, was that “good guy” Hatton would put the squeeze on his homies on the ticket sales. We’ll get to that.
Ticket prices for “Undefeated” were $1000, $750, $600, $300, and $150. This is already a forgotten topic and is only mentioned so you will know the markup when we tell you that, you can expect to “multiply by 10, put a zero on the end.” Your friendly ticket brokers are experts at knowing the going price for entertainment in all forms.
The fight between the 38-0 Mayweather and the 43-0 Hatton will be held at the MGM Grand with available seating of about 16,500. Obviously, as in the case of De La Hoya-Mayweather, this is a bout that would have been in an outdoor setting if the intent was to satisfy the fans. Since the intent, however, is to satisfy the promoters and the casinos, the Grand is once again the venue. Hatton alone could attract enough people to fill the Grand Garden Arena twice over just with those crazy Brits from the UK flocking over for a smashing good time in Las Vegas. For that matter, Hatton could have filled London’s 90,000 seat Wembley Stadium, but there are so many other creative ways to make money on this operation than to simply sell tickets at face value.
In the press release announcing the sellout, MGM-Mirage announced that they would be hosting closed circuit at eight of their other properties at a price of $50. Before you begin to think that the gesture was thoughtful, permitting patrons to shell out $50 to watch TV on a big screen before they roll out to the casinos, consider this - by fight night people will be shelling out $400 to sit in those folding chairs for the closed circuit presentation, also available from brokers or ticket resellers.
For the De La Hoya fight in May, thousands of tickets were being sold online for the price of a Buick. Those tickets anonymously find their way to resellers somehow, and along with the closed circuit and the staggering income generated in the MGM-Mirage casinos from the high rollers makes it far more lucrative to hold the fight at the Grand Garden Arena than, for example, Yankee Stadium.
Ticketmaster is doing quite well for themselves also by selling VIP packages to the fight. Their three day, two night packages were offered at the MGM for lower level seats for $2738, lower upper level seats for $2621 at Caesar’s Palace, and upper level seats for $1876 at the Luxor Hotel and Casino, all priced per person, based on double occupancy. So for about a mere $6,500, give or take a few, you can fly into Vegas, catch the big fight, and rub shoulders with the privileged, and eat like a king. Ticketmaster says that all taxes and gratuities are included. Remember to tell that Bellman with his hand out about the gratuity program.
All but the Caesar’s package were sold out in the first day.
So what is Hatton doing to help his loyal fans come out to support him? Well, Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaeffer confirmed that there has been over 40,000 applications from the UK for seating, but only 3900 were allotted for British fight fans. SkySports.com has reported that Hatton’s Punch Promotions has grabbed up all 3900 available tickets and will be holding a postal ballot that fans must enter for tickets.
But here’s the deal -read the fine print. Fans are advised that to apply for tickets they should write to:
Hitman Box Office
PO Box 203
Manchester
M314UX
*Maximum two tickets per application
*Applications must include contact number or email address
*Applications must state maximum amount you are willing to pay per ticket
* Priority given to fans who have traveled to previous US fights
(I’m not sure what you have to do to prove that last stipulation.)
Hatton is quoted as saying, “This is a real shame for the fans that have supported me, not just for my three fights in America, but indeed all of my previous fights…
“It will make me even more determined to beat Mayweather and it has shown to me having spoken to my dad, we must fight again in England to repay all my loyal fans.”
Whoa! Let’s back up. Did anyone else catch that, “Applications must state maximum amount you are willing to pay per ticket?” Does that mean that squeaky clean Ricky is going to gouge his countrymen? Is it a lottery and the maximum is merely a tie breaker? It sounds like a purse bid. At best, it’s the Ricky Hatton Ebay auction. Why else would that be included in the terms?
As it is written, it appears that the program is not for the benefit of the British people, just one 5’ 6” beer guzzling Manchesterite who wants to strike it rich. It’s doubtful that his fans will see it as profiteering. They’ll just be grateful to get the tickets. When it comes to Ricky Hatton, the Brits are blinded by love.
As for fighting again in England, give me a break. Yes, he should repay his loyal fans but it’s not about that. Hatton has never really captured the heart of Americans. If not for the astonishingly loyal fans from the UK who make the pilgrimage to see his fights in the new world, his previous U.S. fights would have been viewed by crickets.
Competitively, Hatton is simply not in Mayweather’s league. While Hatton has generally performed well, his attacking, clutch and grab style is poorly suited for the elusive Mayweather. Floyd’s one and run style will literally run Hatton in circles.
Hatton will be moving once again from 140 to 147, as he did when he struggled to victory over Luis Collazo. But even after a loss to Mayweather he would still be in huge demand in the UK, maybe even more so. A fight with countryman Junior Witter back at 140 would be big box office at any venue they choose in Britain.
So a fight in England to repay his fans is also just good business.
Meanwhile, I realize that I can’t make these statements and expect to be unchallenged by Hatton’s fans. Contact me at mswann4@aol.com. I’ll keep a stiff upper lip.
Cheerio!
http://www.15rounds.com/Columns/mswa...ess-092007.php
By Michael Swann
It came as no surprise that the tickets for the December 8 Floyd Mayweather Jr. -Ricky Hatton fight sold out within minutes of being placed on sale. (Actually I was a tad surprised when a British reader sent me an email saying that he had purchased tickets. I’m a cynical sort at times and I had doubts that tickets would be offered to anyone other than the promoters, casinos, and the Mayweather-Hatton allocations.)
The real surprise, however, was that “good guy” Hatton would put the squeeze on his homies on the ticket sales. We’ll get to that.
Ticket prices for “Undefeated” were $1000, $750, $600, $300, and $150. This is already a forgotten topic and is only mentioned so you will know the markup when we tell you that, you can expect to “multiply by 10, put a zero on the end.” Your friendly ticket brokers are experts at knowing the going price for entertainment in all forms.
The fight between the 38-0 Mayweather and the 43-0 Hatton will be held at the MGM Grand with available seating of about 16,500. Obviously, as in the case of De La Hoya-Mayweather, this is a bout that would have been in an outdoor setting if the intent was to satisfy the fans. Since the intent, however, is to satisfy the promoters and the casinos, the Grand is once again the venue. Hatton alone could attract enough people to fill the Grand Garden Arena twice over just with those crazy Brits from the UK flocking over for a smashing good time in Las Vegas. For that matter, Hatton could have filled London’s 90,000 seat Wembley Stadium, but there are so many other creative ways to make money on this operation than to simply sell tickets at face value.
In the press release announcing the sellout, MGM-Mirage announced that they would be hosting closed circuit at eight of their other properties at a price of $50. Before you begin to think that the gesture was thoughtful, permitting patrons to shell out $50 to watch TV on a big screen before they roll out to the casinos, consider this - by fight night people will be shelling out $400 to sit in those folding chairs for the closed circuit presentation, also available from brokers or ticket resellers.
For the De La Hoya fight in May, thousands of tickets were being sold online for the price of a Buick. Those tickets anonymously find their way to resellers somehow, and along with the closed circuit and the staggering income generated in the MGM-Mirage casinos from the high rollers makes it far more lucrative to hold the fight at the Grand Garden Arena than, for example, Yankee Stadium.
Ticketmaster is doing quite well for themselves also by selling VIP packages to the fight. Their three day, two night packages were offered at the MGM for lower level seats for $2738, lower upper level seats for $2621 at Caesar’s Palace, and upper level seats for $1876 at the Luxor Hotel and Casino, all priced per person, based on double occupancy. So for about a mere $6,500, give or take a few, you can fly into Vegas, catch the big fight, and rub shoulders with the privileged, and eat like a king. Ticketmaster says that all taxes and gratuities are included. Remember to tell that Bellman with his hand out about the gratuity program.
All but the Caesar’s package were sold out in the first day.
So what is Hatton doing to help his loyal fans come out to support him? Well, Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaeffer confirmed that there has been over 40,000 applications from the UK for seating, but only 3900 were allotted for British fight fans. SkySports.com has reported that Hatton’s Punch Promotions has grabbed up all 3900 available tickets and will be holding a postal ballot that fans must enter for tickets.
But here’s the deal -read the fine print. Fans are advised that to apply for tickets they should write to:
Hitman Box Office
PO Box 203
Manchester
M314UX
*Maximum two tickets per application
*Applications must include contact number or email address
*Applications must state maximum amount you are willing to pay per ticket
* Priority given to fans who have traveled to previous US fights
(I’m not sure what you have to do to prove that last stipulation.)
Hatton is quoted as saying, “This is a real shame for the fans that have supported me, not just for my three fights in America, but indeed all of my previous fights…
“It will make me even more determined to beat Mayweather and it has shown to me having spoken to my dad, we must fight again in England to repay all my loyal fans.”
Whoa! Let’s back up. Did anyone else catch that, “Applications must state maximum amount you are willing to pay per ticket?” Does that mean that squeaky clean Ricky is going to gouge his countrymen? Is it a lottery and the maximum is merely a tie breaker? It sounds like a purse bid. At best, it’s the Ricky Hatton Ebay auction. Why else would that be included in the terms?
As it is written, it appears that the program is not for the benefit of the British people, just one 5’ 6” beer guzzling Manchesterite who wants to strike it rich. It’s doubtful that his fans will see it as profiteering. They’ll just be grateful to get the tickets. When it comes to Ricky Hatton, the Brits are blinded by love.
As for fighting again in England, give me a break. Yes, he should repay his loyal fans but it’s not about that. Hatton has never really captured the heart of Americans. If not for the astonishingly loyal fans from the UK who make the pilgrimage to see his fights in the new world, his previous U.S. fights would have been viewed by crickets.
Competitively, Hatton is simply not in Mayweather’s league. While Hatton has generally performed well, his attacking, clutch and grab style is poorly suited for the elusive Mayweather. Floyd’s one and run style will literally run Hatton in circles.
Hatton will be moving once again from 140 to 147, as he did when he struggled to victory over Luis Collazo. But even after a loss to Mayweather he would still be in huge demand in the UK, maybe even more so. A fight with countryman Junior Witter back at 140 would be big box office at any venue they choose in Britain.
So a fight in England to repay his fans is also just good business.
Meanwhile, I realize that I can’t make these statements and expect to be unchallenged by Hatton’s fans. Contact me at mswann4@aol.com. I’ll keep a stiff upper lip.
Cheerio!
http://www.15rounds.com/Columns/mswa...ess-092007.php
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