Tweet
It is a classic, time-tested practice: superstars cutting promos, building heat from interested fans, attracting viewers by spewing venom at their athletic rivals, inviting, enticing audiences to open their eyes and their wallets and buy pay-per-views. Meanwhile, the ringside announcers work to get their rising stars over, building the next franchise, lining their coffers.
But to paraphrase the marketing slogan: It’s not the WWE, it’s HBO.
This week’s edition of Fighting Words argues that HBO, once the top network for boxing broadcasts, has taken to using methods evocative of professional wrestling, limiting the quality of its normal programming so as to enhance buy rates for PPV shows that are coming on an increasingly regular basis.
Following that is The 10 Count, which contains previews of the major fights scheduled to take place in August, including Jeff Lacy-Robin Reid, Fernando Vargas-Javier Castillejo, In Jin Chi-Rocky Juarez and Hasim Rahman-Monte Barrett.
The Fiscal Philosophy
Why give away for free what people will pay for?
The essential model behind which professional wrestling cards are drawn up is one in which feuds are built up until they culminate at a pay-per-view that looms on the horizon. Storylines are written up, tension is ratcheted to the point that viewers are compelled, by virtue of the drama, to pay to see the climax that the rising action has led to. Very rarely do the combatants face off in a match until the ordained date.
Yes, professional wrestling is scripted sports entertainment, but the same principles seem to apply to HBO’s recent broadcasts.
For example, on September 10 crowd-pleasing warriors Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales will return to action for the first time since Morales’s unanimous decision over the Filipino Firebomber on a March PPV. Pacquiao’s opponent is Hector Velazquez, while Morales is set to face Zahir Raheem.
[details]
But to paraphrase the marketing slogan: It’s not the WWE, it’s HBO.
This week’s edition of Fighting Words argues that HBO, once the top network for boxing broadcasts, has taken to using methods evocative of professional wrestling, limiting the quality of its normal programming so as to enhance buy rates for PPV shows that are coming on an increasingly regular basis.
Following that is The 10 Count, which contains previews of the major fights scheduled to take place in August, including Jeff Lacy-Robin Reid, Fernando Vargas-Javier Castillejo, In Jin Chi-Rocky Juarez and Hasim Rahman-Monte Barrett.
The Fiscal Philosophy
Why give away for free what people will pay for?
The essential model behind which professional wrestling cards are drawn up is one in which feuds are built up until they culminate at a pay-per-view that looms on the horizon. Storylines are written up, tension is ratcheted to the point that viewers are compelled, by virtue of the drama, to pay to see the climax that the rising action has led to. Very rarely do the combatants face off in a match until the ordained date.
Yes, professional wrestling is scripted sports entertainment, but the same principles seem to apply to HBO’s recent broadcasts.
For example, on September 10 crowd-pleasing warriors Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales will return to action for the first time since Morales’s unanimous decision over the Filipino Firebomber on a March PPV. Pacquiao’s opponent is Hector Velazquez, while Morales is set to face Zahir Raheem.
[details]
Comment