Comments Thread For: “Fighting Words” – They Don’t Need to Be Great to Be Good

[Mr. David]

Lorily,

What do you suggest for fights like Chavez Jr.-Duddy where HBO and Showtime either aren't buying or don't have the dates, and the fighters want more money than ESPN2 or Fox would pay?

I think these independent pay-per-views fill a niche that's sadly necessary these days. I'd be angrier not at this, but at those past years when nearly every big fight that normally would've been on regular HBO was on pay-per-view instead.

As for Jones-Hopkins 2, that was distributed by HBO but was not actually an HBO pay-per-view. While we'd rather not have seen that fight at all, it attempted to cater to the audience still interested in seeing the two future Hall of Famers. Of course, it did so poorly that Jones won't earn any money.

[Lorily]

Lorily,

What do you suggest for fights like Chavez Jr.-Duddy where HBO and Showtime either aren't buying or don't have the dates, and the fighters want more money than ESPN2 or Fox would pay?

I think these independent pay-per-views fill a niche that's sadly necessary these days. I'd be angrier not at this, but at those past years when nearly every big fight that normally would've been on regular HBO was on pay-per-view instead.

As for Jones-Hopkins 2, that was distributed by HBO but was not actually an HBO pay-per-view. While we'd rather not have seen that fight at all, it attempted to cater to the audience still interested in seeing the two future Hall of Famers. Of course, it did so poorly that Jones won't earn any money.

Though I did rant a bit about PPVs in general, you are right and I get what you are saying. My disdain lies primarily with the bolded of your statement. My fear is that it is a sign of what's to come.

[Mr. David]

Though I did rant a bit about PPVs in general, you are right and I get what you are saying. My disdain lies primarily with the bolded of your statement. My fear is that it is a sign of what's to come.

I'd say that HBO has been better in the past couple of years.

2007: 8 PPVs put on or distributed by HBO

2008: 9 PPVs put on or distributed by HBO.

2009: 4 PPVS put on or distributed by HBO (Lightweight Lightning distributed, and then Hatton-Pacquiao, Mayweather-Marquez, Cotto-Pacquiao)

2010: 4 PPVs so far this year put on or distributed by HBO... Pacquiao-Clottey, Jones-Hopkins 2 (distributed), Mayweather-Mosley and, at the end of July, Marquez-Diaz 2.

Some would argue that Marquez-Diaz 2 shouldn't be on PPV. Generally I would agree, but this is the cost of getting two guys back with each other for a rematch of the Fight of the Year, and the undercard for this one is better than PPV undercards typically are.

As for the rest of the year? Nothing set yet... I imagine if we see Pacquiao and Mayweather fight again in 2010, those would be HBO PPV.

[MODUS]

Lorily,

In response to your inquiry, "Or do you think that the hardcore fans will continue to buy them because they are starving to see fights in general"? Yes, because my contention is, that hardcore fans are hardcore because they are stubbornly resistant to change or improvement. In other words a hardcore fan will always pay for at least one fight they feel is not ppv worthy because they are not patient enough or do not have the time to advocate progression. Promoters know this, and bank on that fact - as long as hardcore fans stay hardcore, they can count on them ordering at least on less than premium fights in addition to the mega fight no fan would dare miss. I myself am a component of this schema as I just dropped $40 on chavezjr/duddy. However, I did enjoy it more than mosely/mayweather and clottey/pac, but I do not really know what impact this has on our discussion.