Comments Thread For: Showtime's Espinoza Says Piracy Is Depressing PPV Buys By At Least 30-40%

[juanpablo]

The PPV model needs a revamp, no one wants to pay those prices. Fix that and you wont have to worry about piracy.

[Oldskoolg]

I say bring the PPV prices down by $20-$30, you’ll probably sell more. Haymon is doing the right thing by offering fighters percentages rather than enormous flat fees like dazn was doing. Percentages make the fighter realize he will make what he’s worth and not a penny more. Personally I don’t care about paying PPV prices. I’ve worked a lifetime for a good life here in the states but I do know that boxing is a sport of those far less fortunate than myself and if we stop the poor from exposure to boxing then you’re killing off boxing. Boxing began to fall in popularity on the usa when PPV became the norm and the regular sports fan no longer had unfettered access to it

[juanpablo]

There's no PPV in latin america so you can watch pretty much every fight for free, real time (except DAZN fights) on ESPN Deportes. They have to be generating revenue through ads because there are short ads in between rounds so I wouldn't mind a model like that in the U.S. so as long as it's free.

Most successful business rely on customer feedback to iterate and improve their products but these guys never listen to their customers. No one wants to pay all that money especially for a crappy card, corrupt judges, etc.

[DClefthook]

The PPV model needs a revamp, no one wants to pay those prices. Fix that and you wont have to worry about piracy.

Not true! People don't steal because it's expensive they steal because their mindset is why pay anything when you can get it for free. People steal 50 cent bubble gum out of 7-11 because they get a thrill out of doing it. You can set PPV prices t0 3 dollars a fight and these idiots will still steal the shyte!!

[Phase III]

Networks like Showtime, DAZN and ESPN+ are putting too many undeserving fights on PPV because they don’t want to pay fighters themselves and now they complain about streaming services who steal the signal if you don’t find watching commercials. Showtime, DAZN and ESPN+ have only themselves to blame for trying to charge customers ridiculous money $75 to $99 for garbage fights that should be free. Boxing fans got tired of getting ripped off and Showtime, DAZN and ESPN have nobody but themselves to blame. They created the problem, and now they’re crying wolf.

[ShoulderRoll]

Do better, Espinoza.

If you want to build goodwill with the fans then start giving them more stacked undercards for their dollar. And lower the PPV prices for some of these events, not everyone has been built up to the point where they deserve to charge what Floyd Mayweather did towards the end of his career.

[wrecksracer]

Boxing used to be a major sport. People knew who the champions were. It was a popular sport because you could turn on the tv every weekend and see great fights for free. Greedy promoters killed boxing. Espinoza thinks it's bad now? Wait til the people who don't know how to use the internet die off.

[PBR Streetgang]

I can't speak for others but I don't watch pirated streams of fights. I will either pay or (more likely) not pay.

The problem for me is that many PPVs have too many glorified showcase fights as main events or filling the undercard. I may be in the minority but I'd rather the undercards be stacked with competitive, pick'em fights even if they are a level below.

[Phase III]

HBO used to sign fighters to multifight agreements. Then the fighter insisted on having to fight their mandatory in order to keep their titles. Most if not all of those mandatories were pure garbage. So HBO came up with the idea of having their fighters upgrade to PPV in order to not have to reach into their budgets to pay them. This is where the problem started. Now the Showtime weasel Espinoza is crying wolf.

Solution, who wants to pay for a PPV featuring Canelo (paid 30m) to fight Ryder when you can watch for free on many of the available streaming services?

Next, if any fighter thinks they merit millions per fight, let them fight on PPV for a reasonable purse and give the fighters their fair cut after their cable network takes their 50% share. Further, demand what fights are acceptable in order for the fighter to get paid. Then watch how quickly fights that are way beyond their expiration dates get made faster.

Fighters have just taken advantage of networks like Showtime’s ******ity. That’s what happens when you have a weasel like Espinoza in charge of boxing. Fire Espinoza and put someone in charge who knows what the F they’re doing. Same with the idiot suits at DAZN who are paying Canelo crazy money to fight B and C level fighters, with Eddie Hearn not giving a sheet because it’s not his money.

Last, most PPV undercards are garbage. Put meaningful fights on the undercard and charge $25 to $50 depending on the fight interest. Still, the streaming services are here to stay so, now that that cats out of the bag, good luck.

Showtime, DAZN, and ESPN+ having nobody but themselves to blame for creating this problem and ripping the public off with their BS PPV fights and ridiculous prices. Thank you to the many streaming services for sticking up the greedy networks butts and providing a necessary alternative.

[paulf]

Espinoza is absolutely wrong. In the 90s, I along with so many others had an illegal cable box with access to all of the channels - including PPV. It was way more easier to steal/watch events. Yet, there were more PPV buys than there are now.

There are several reasons why there are less PPV buys now. The main reason, however, is the prices are now really high, while the undercards are absolute garbage. There used to be a time a PPV would have two or three solid fights ahead of the main event. Therefore, even if the main event disappointed....at least one (or more) of the undercard bouts would be sure to satisfy the consumer. Today's PPV lineups absolutely suck. I'm super excited about Spence VS Crawford......but I have no care in the world about watching any of the undercard matches, because they most likely will not be worth my while.

I will watch the fight at my local sports bar as I stopped buying PPV boxing. I got tired of not getting my money's worth.

I'm glad I didn't buy Pacquiao VS Mayweather. The undercard was a dud, and the main event was an absolute let down. The consumers are tired of mediocrity.

Bingo. UFC puts on PPVs every month and they're raking in cash. Why? Their product is excellent. Cards are always stacked. Even the free prelim fights are competitive do-or-die matchups feat up-and-comers, not showcase fights like we get in boxing (Xander Zayas fighting some overmatched 38 year old).

Boxing's product has been an embarrassment for over 20 years.