"Boxing is a sport", "no, its not, boxing is a business"

[arraamis]

Sorry guys, you can't have it both ways when it suits your agenda.

One on hand, whenever there is a fight that somehow doesn't get made, even though the boxing fans want it,

"boxing is a business. You don't understand how these things work and all fights don't happen just because you want them to".


On the other hand, when it comes time to appreciate a certain style of fighting, you know, those who are more technical in their approach as opposed to outright brawling, suddenly, the mantra changes from,

"boxing is a business"

to

"boxing is a sport, not a violent exchange between to rock em' sock em' robots. If you want to see wild exchanges with no technique, go watch UFC".


You guys flip flop more than chanclas during the summer.

I'll start with this .......

For those who never boxed for a living, never went to a live boxing event and only watched boxing on TV .... then it is a sport only. Because they don't see and are not aware of the activity behind the scenes that make the event a reality. Its a sport on this level because they DO NOT have an understanding of how things work in the REAL world.

For those who make a living at boxing, including promoters, the boxer's themselves, stadium managers, operations managers and sites like the MGM grand - IT IS BIG business. i.e. The Business Of Boxing.

Now its most basic description .... Boxing is indeed a sport {No doubt about it} But, anytime money is involved that Sport transcends that basic definition and becomes more than a sport. Now individuals are making a living, feeding their families, promoters are sponsoring events that generate mega-millions of dollars.

I think you {TortillaWarrior} are trying place boxing in an either this or that capsule. And you cannot do that because the sad reality of it is, that if BUSINESS WAS NOT AN INTEGRAL PART\ELEMENT OF BOXING - IT WOULD NOT EXIST. Because no one would be fighting fo free!!!!

Football is a sport ... But it is also BIG BUSINESS.
Baseball is a sport ... But it is also BIG BUSINESS.
Hockey is a sport ... But it is also BIG BUSINESS.
Boxing is a sport ... But it is also BIG BUSINESS.

In today's society ... you cannot have one without the other.

With the exception of kids who play sports in the playground -

Then again, one doesn't expect kids to understand how the real world works. ...... Right????

[Eaner0919]

TS

so is football just a sport?

[Grimmer]

Whether it's boxing or the Premier Greed, there's too much money involved.

[arraamis]

Hey, Here's a bottom line .....


ASK THE IRS IF ITS A SPORT OR BUSINESS.

[Vasyl’s dad]

TS

so is football just a sport?

It is to me. Always has been, always will be unless I have a vested interest.


But as I told you before,

I understand these are sports with a business side just as everything has a business side. Doesn't mean we go to a fine restaurant to talk about how much money the place or head chef is making. We go to enjoy a well prepared meal. When we go watch a movie, we don't watch thinking about how much money each actor made, we're interested in the story being told. When we go to Disneyland, we don't worry about the operations side of it, we go to enjoy the rides and themes.

Business is in everything, we get that. But it doesn't mean everything we enjoy has to be about the business side of it. I don't watch boxing because of the money it generates. I don't watch movies because of the money they generate. I don't eat at restaurants because I care about how much they're making in revenue in one night. We do what we do for entertainment, because we enjoy what it is about that particular thing, not the dollars made at the end of the night.

Everything is a business, even the school our kids go to. Drinking water is a business, taking a **** and flushing it down the toilet is a business.


Excuse me if I don't watch boxing for its business side. As a paying fan though, I am participating in this business and I have every right to criticize fighters when they are using "Boxing is a business" as an excuse to not make the best possible matchups.


Is this a business?





Technically we can say it is. Uniforms have to be bought, fields have to be paid for, etc. But, in reality, its a game for the kids to play.


But check this, when you open up a newspaper, and look to see the results of last nights professional game,

what section do you find the story under?

"Sports", or "Business"?

[CubanGuyNYC]

Professional boxing is several things: sport, art, science, entertainment and business. Any time that a product (a boxing match, show, card, etc.) is marketed to the consumer (the fans), for profit, it may be called a business.

Here is one definition, from investorwords.com: "A commercial activity engaged in as a means of livelihood or profit, or an entity which engages in such activities." Professional boxing fits this description.

Notice that I specify professional boxing, which is what most of us are most interested in. Amateur boxing is not a business, since there is (supposed to be) no money exchanged. This is why amateur sports are considered "pure" sport.

The people involved in the business of boxing seek to make the most money possible, just as we all do when we work. It also happens that the best product (fights) tend to make the most money, because they are what sell the most. Unfortunately, as with everything else, there is bad product out there. As the old adage goes: "Let the buyer beware." When people speak with their wallets, the businessmen will take notice.

[CubanGuyNYC]

Hey, Here's a bottom line .....


ASK THE IRS IF ITS A SPORT OR BUSINESS.

lol Excellent. One might end the thread right there....

[Vasyl’s dad]

I'll start with this .......

For those who never boxed for a living, never went to a live boxing event and only watched boxing on TV .... then it is a sport only. Because they don't see and are not aware of the activity behind the scenes that make the event a reality. Its a sport on this level because they DO NOT have an understanding of how things work in the REAL world.

For those who make a living at boxing, including promoters, the boxer's themselves, stadium managers, operations managers and sites like the MGM grand - IT IS BIG business. i.e. The Business Of Boxing.

Now its most basic description .... Boxing is indeed a sport {No doubt about it} But, anytime money is involved that Sport transcends that basic definition and becomes more than a sport. Now individuals are making a living, feeding their families, promoters are sponsoring events that generate mega-millions of dollars.

I think you {TortillaWarrior} are trying place boxing in an either this or that capsule. And you cannot do that because the sad reality of it is, that if BUSINESS WAS NOT AN INTEGRAL PART\ELEMENT OF BOXING - IT WOULD NOT EXIST. Because no one would be fighting fo free!!!!

Football is a sport ... But it is also BIG BUSINESS.
Baseball is a sport ... But it is also BIG BUSINESS.
Hockey is a sport ... But it is also BIG BUSINESS.
Boxing is a sport ... But it is also BIG BUSINESS.

In today's society ... you cannot have one without the other.

With the exception of kids who play sports in the playground -

Then again, one doesn't expect kids to understand how the real world works. ...... Right????

Really?

Can you explain why I also put an option and voted for,

"Boxing is a sport with a business side"?




So again, tell me, when you check the boxscores, or results of last nights fight,

what section of the paper do you turn too?

[CubanGuyNYC]

Tortillawarrior, I think you're just frustrated, as we all are, about the fact that the best fights don't always get made when we want them to be made. That's when cold, harsh reality comes into play. We're frequently reminded that the guys involved in professional sports are in it primarily for the money. If it just so happens that the product is of a high quality, all the better. But, make no mistake, it's really about the Bennies for these guys.

No one says you have to think about the business aspect of anything you buy or enjoy. That's not your role. Your role is to consume; the vendor's role is to make money from your enjoyment/satisfaction. If you don't like what you're being sold, shop elsewhere (as some people have with UFC) or don't buy at all.

[arraamis]

Tortillawarrior, I think you're just frustrated, as we all are, about the fact that the best fights don't always get made when we want them to be made. That's when cold, harsh reality comes into play. We're frequently reminded that the guys involved in professional sports are in it primarily for the money. If it just so happens that the product is of a high quality, all the better. But, make no mistake, it's really about the Bennies for these guys.

No one says you have to think about the business aspect of anything you buy or enjoy. That's not your role. Your role is to consume; the vendor's role is to make money from your enjoyment/satisfaction. If you don't like what you're being sold, shop elsewhere (as some people have with UFC) or don't buy at all.

That is an outstanding point!!!!!!!!!