the Contender gets low rating, OK boxing fans let support it!

**Bombardier** · 03-08-2005, 12:51 PM

Originally posted by guru

Two and Half Men: 12.4
24 (Fox) 9.8
The Contender: 6.2

i guess considering the comp. its not bad, but it could do better... this show is good for boxing.... it shows fighters are human and not barbaric thugs... with all the bad press boxing gets this show is actually a positive, let's get behind and help its ratings..

next episodes
THURSDAY NIGHT AT 10PM
and then
SUNDAY 8PM

Unfortunately premiere episodes of shows like this often earn the highest ratings by far, unless the show happens to take off. I think after this it's going to start to tank even more. Even though I didn't like the show, you make some good points.

**guru** · 03-08-2005, 01:06 PM

it was facing really bad comp.
- the last half hour of american idol
- 24 and 2 1/2 men

its regular time slot, sunday 8PM, is a little more forgiving... if you like "rocky" you should like the contender, which is like a real life version...

**Rockin'** · 03-08-2005, 01:08 PM

Originally posted by Bombardier

Unfortunately premiere episodes of shows like this often earn the highest ratings by far, unless the show happens to take off. I think after this it's going to start to tank even more. Even though I didn't like the show, you make some good points.

What did you not like about the show if I may.......Rockin'

**SacTown1** · 03-08-2005, 01:14 PM

REALITY TV SUCKS!!!! We should all boycott the show, the networks won't show real prizefights, but they'll show a program where lousy wanna-be's bad-mouth each other and act like a bunch of pu$$y Real-World rejects. No matter what the ratings add up to, boxing won't be on the networks any time soon, so let's just keep paying our $10/month to HBO and pray that they continue to show high-quality matchups.

- SacTown1

**SacTown1** · 03-08-2005, 01:16 PM

One other note: Monday Night Raw, which makes no bones about the fact that it's a fake competition, will DOMINATE this bogus Contender show in the ratings, even though it's on Spike TV and the Contender is on a worthless network that has ****** ever since Seinfeld got cancelled.

**Bombardier** · 03-08-2005, 01:31 PM

Originally posted by Rockin1

What did you not like about the show if I may.......Rockin'

I wrote about what I didn't like in another Contender thread around here. Basically the edited fight footage just kills it for me. If the showed whole fights than I could stomach the rest of it. Some people here said that there's no way they coudl show whole fights on the air. I disagree. First of all, the finale is going to show a live fight, which presumably will be unedited...why can't they do that with the rest of them. Second of all, they would have more room if they made the fights three or four rounds instead of five. I think none of us would have a problem with 3-rounders, since most amateur fights are this long (I mean 3-minute rounds here...I'm not going by Olympic rules). Even four rounders they could probably fight in, and that's the standard length for fighters just starting out.

Beyond that, the phoney trappings around the fight were annoying...the fake press conference, the "stars" in the audience, all that stuff. Maybe I'm harping on the details but these things bothered me.

**guru** · 03-08-2005, 01:45 PM

my guess is that the reason the entire fight is not shown and just the highlights, is to keep the mainstream audience.... if the fight is boring, mainstream people will turn away..

its a show about boxers, not about boxing... there are already shows where you can see entire fights, HBO, espn, showtime, etc... they're are no shows like this currently...

**Bombardier** · 03-08-2005, 02:13 PM

Originally posted by guru

my guess is that the reason the entire fight is not shown and just the highlights, is to keep the mainstream audience.... if the fight is boring, mainstream people will turn away..

its a show about boxers, not about boxing... there are already shows where you can see entire fights, HBO, espn, showtime, etc... they're are no shows like this currently...

I think that's probably their reasoning as well. Unfortunately, without the boxing there really is no show. I know it's supposed to be about boxers. But in order for these reality shows to "work" they need to use specific devices: games, voting, challenges, that sort of thing. The natural device to end this kind of show is a boxing match. Highlights to me just doesn't seem like something that's whole enough to be able to anchor the show.

That's the biggest problem with this show, really: there is nothing much to it. Basically it's a documentary about a bunch of boxers. Great if you like boxing or if you're a big documentary fan. But for reality shows to be popular you need more fun and games. That's why I don't think this one will find an audience.

**Bombardier** · 03-08-2005, 02:14 PM

Anyway, I don't mean to sound too negative. I see what you're saying about supporting the show. And like I said in the other thread, if the boxers in the show can use it to further their careers, than that's great. And if the show takes off and boxing gets a better image as a consequence, then that's great too. I'm just not holding my breath.

the Contender gets low rating, OK boxing fans let support it!