Comments Thread For: Eddie Hearn Hits Back at Bob Arum: Top Rank Are Completely Finished, ESPN Contract Gone!

[DClefthook]

I can't speak too much on the US market but I will say that boxing is thriving in the UK - much more so than in the US. This weekend 15,000 were at Bournemouth football stadium to watch Billam-Smith vs Okolie - this has nothing to do with nationalism. It's healthy local support for one of your own - call it tribalism if you want - we have the same thing for football matches up and down the country every year for the last 150 years. Part of the national psyche I guess.

But that exists in the US too with supporting the team from your city - be it baseball, US Football, basketball, hockey and now soccer. And it exists in the US too in boxing with Bud selling out in Nebraska of all places. So this tribalism exists in the US for boxing, same as UK - but what is the major issue then? Looks to me like boxing is just not as popular in the US as it is in the UK - and that is maybe where Hearn had issues, he misunderstood the US market - as promoting boxing in the US is not as easy as the UK - and why? simply because boxing is less popular in the USA.

Really good post sir. Damn the smart guys are out tonight. Let me respond....

[Straightener]

How? Maybe he loves what he does. Some people will never retire and Bob's probably one of those people. Not everyone thinks like you.

Yeh f**k working into your 90’s

Each to their own

[DClefthook]

The sport of basketball is sold on stars like Jordan, Magic, Bird, Kareem, kobe, Lebron, Iverson....and now Luka, Joker, Steph, Greek freak and many others. The sport of football is sold on jerseys and helmets which everyone from around the world recognizes when they see THE STAR or THE DOLPHIN on the helmet. The sport of baseball sells cities like Fenway park (Boston), Bronx Bombers (NYC), Wrigley Field (CHI), Candlestick (SanFran) and others. Unfortunately our beloved sport of boxing is and has always been sold on race. From Jack Johnson to Max Schmeling to Joe Louis to Rocky Marciano it has always been that way. Tyson Fury is only popular when he fights Wilder and they can sell 800k PPVs. Tank v Ryan can sell 1.4 mill PPVs when fighting each other but can't do over 300k by themselves. Fighting and punching someone in the face is what 99% of the world dreams of doing but only 1% actually has the courage to do it. Boxing is that 1%.

[Oldskoolg]

Fury-Wilder 2 did like 800k buys right?

Hearn can’t even get those sort of numbers with Canelo.

Arum has promoted fights that did multimillions of buys at the box office.

This is like a rookie QB calling out Tom Brady.

Alright mate? Cannot wait to see London or Manchester get an nfl team, it’s coming

[Oldskoolg]

Haney vs Lomachenko only did 150,000 PPV buys?

That’s terrible. Whatever Bob Arum makes for promoting is too much…he is severely overpaid for the quality of work he does.

Agreed, it’s horrible. The problem is old school promotion is non existent in the usa. You don’t see boxers on sports shows, you don’t see boxers on commercials/advertisements, you don’t see boxers making special guest appearances on sitcoms, etc etc.

[SteveM]

Yeh f**k working into your 90’s

Each to their own

It's having a reason to get out of bed every day that keeps you alive until your 90s. Most people don't and most people die before they are 90. I'm not sure Arum looks at it as work - I think he gets a real buzz out of the cut and thrust of promoting. I also thing he loves being around younger people and that in general being around younger people keeps you younger just as a young person continually around older people it will make them older - often in a good way as they get wisdom and maturity beyond their years - but sometimes in a bad way and they become boring.

[dorruel2.0]

"snagging network contracts"...you mean like how the NFL has been snagging network contracts since the 1960s with CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox and ESPN? Or the NBA snagging contracts from CBS, Nbc, ABC, ESPN, Tbs, Tnt and others. Same with the MLB and NHL. It's called finding the best business model for your sport. Bob Arum has taken TR to every network possible since the 1960s. GBP has been on HBO Showtime Dazn and more. MR goes from Shy to Dazn and everywhere else. Dam you are ******. But keep posting g because I love interacting with you idiots!

did your dumbass really compare the NFL, NBA to boxing??

You sound bitter. Like an underachiever in life- and what keeps you going is your belief that you are smarter than you actually are.


Anyways
my point was that credit to Haymon- he managed to get really good TV deals. He managed to even get primetime slots for the first time in decades. Boxing fans including myself were hyped at this prospect. But the hype quickly dissipated when haymon failed to deliver quality events- pbc was quickly booted and relegated to the only network that accepted his crooked model.

haymon’s model did not work in ANY meaningful networks apart from the limited showtime audience. And with Showtime is in talks of being downsized to paramount the hustle will be in danger of existing.


I guess that is “finding the best business model for your sport” right?? Failing in networks that people actually watch and existing (not thriving) in networks that are themselves tanking and may cease to exist at all. Comparing this to the NFL was beyond ****** I can’t believe you did that lol lol

[VislorTurlough]

Agreed, it’s horrible. The problem is old school promotion is non existent in the usa. You don’t see boxers on sports shows, you don’t see boxers on commercials/advertisements, you don’t see boxers making special guest appearances on sitcoms, etc etc.

this all day. There are dozens of other sports and entertainment options competing for eyeballs in USA. Most don’t involve punching someone in the face. And it’s got zero appeal to women. USA leagues like hockey, basketball, NFL - get some women. Go to the events or to a pub to watch. Not a ton but some women. Boxing gets almost zero. And you’re second tier if you don’t appeal to some away small amount. They are 50% of population

[kafkod]

Without doubt, Eddie is the most successful promoter in the US now, because he is the only one with a worldwide platform.

[kafkod]

Eddy talks a lot of **** for somebody who threw billions down the drain talking like he’s the man never seen somebody so far up their own ass and i kind of like Eddie. All these promoters are haters/bitter mofos why the fights why want don’t get made most the time need to get their egos in check.

Eddie is DAZN's director of boxing, not football! Whether the billions that DAZN spent on football rights last last year pays off or not, those deals had nothing to do with Eddie Hearn.

If Eddie is losing DAZN so much money, why did they strike a new 5 year deal with him in 2021 then extend it by another 3 years last month?

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