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Anyone know how they did this? Getting a huge draw like Tyson to fight on free TV. Did Tyson take a pay cut? Did Fox pick up the tab? I know the ratings were great so why haven't they done it again?
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It was because people were complaining about the McKneeley fight($60 PPV) being over so fast is i'm not mistaken. I think he did it to give back to the fans if my memory serves correctly. -
People were mad about what a disappointment the McNeeley fight was (I don't know what they were expecting).
Tyson-Mathis was originally also supposed to go head-to-head with Bowe-Holyfield 3, which was on PPV. So King figured he might have an edge if the Tyson fight were on free TV.
The Tyson fight got postponed when Tyson injured his thumb. Many people were skeptical about the legitimacy of the injury, although I do remember reading that a doctor verified it and showed the x-ray.Comment
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It did over 40 millionComment
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Was this before Fox started to air the NFL and MLB?
The big game changer on Fox was when In Living Color went head to head with the Super Bowl at halftime in 1991 and killed the NFL in ratings... the next year the NFL got Michael Jackson to perform at halftime and the the Super Bowl Halftime Show was born.Comment
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I'll be lying if I said I knew why, but sounds like from the previous posters was some backlash of a ppv fight that left a sour taste in fans mouth (too short). IDK google it.Comment
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The McNeeley fight remains one of the most farcical things I have ever seen in my whole life. From the bizarre pre-fight interview, the enormous build-up, McNeeley's hilarious walk-out song, to McNeeley's corner stopping the fight at 1:29 to collect on a massive bet.
I'm not sure you could get away with it now, not with the internet and boxrec in particular. But Tyson was another level I guess so maybe you could.Comment
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