Guide to Running HBO Boxing... for Dummies

[The Gambler1981]

Well if you don't see a problem with their model, I don't know what to tell you.

Nowhere on the planet but HBO's perverted system is Andre Berto worth 500k a fight, much less 1.5 mill.

Why does that matter to you?


Fighters come and go he will be gone soon enough, so why get hung up on that.

I enjoy HBO's boxing programming so why bug about fights here and there that may not be wortht eh money HBO is paying. I am not a Time Warner stock holder and if I was I would vote for getting rid of boxing because it ain't worth it.

[mrpain81]

I don't think it is that simple, they could go that route but I don't know if the end results is all that different.

I don't think the nights they air fights is an issue either since MMA broadcasts on a similar schedule and they are popular with younger people. Most youngs peoples weekend nights don't end at 12:00 am which most fights are over by.

So if MMA schedules on the same night as boxing they are competing with a product that is already embraced by the young demographic. The same way HBO has been doing business hasn't been working, the ratings have been going down for years now.

I would actually like HBO to start having the Tuesday or Wednesday night fights on TNT or TBS. Just **** can B.A.D build up stars on a smaller platform then have the 12 WCB events a year. Make every WCB a top fight between top fighters. If the fighters or promoters ain't willing to put their fighters tough they don't fight on HBO.

Simple.

[Bastian Loc]

Why does that matter to you?


Fighters come and go he will be gone soon enough, so why get hung up on that.

I enjoy HBO's boxing programming so why bug about fights here and there that may not be wortht eh money HBO is paying. I am not a Time Warner stock holder and if I was I would vote for getting rid of boxing because it ain't worth it.

It matters to me because as the article, Thomas Hauser and a handful of others have already written extensively about. When they spend such a large % of the budget on sorry sacks like Berto fighting other bums, we miss out on more fights that could have been bought with the money they're WASTING on Berto and the likes of him.

[The Gambler1981]

Also to be blunt again this road is only leading to one place, all the scrutiny on HBO boxing pretty much means it will be going the way of the dinosaurs before long.

50 million why pay that money when in no way does boxing bring back that kind of subscriptions bump and seriously how many customers would dump HBO due to lack of boxing, a handfull maybe who will move over to Showtime but HBO is still going to be a much bigger network.

I love boxing but you can't tell me that is worth it to them, so the only question is when does HBO get tired of the bad press and jsut do away with it.

[The Gambler1981]

It matters to me because as the article, Thomas Hauser and a handful of others have already written extensively about. When they spend such a large % of the budget on sorry sacks like Berto fighting other bums, we miss out on more fights that could have been bought with the money they're WASTING on Berto and the likes of him.

It is not a waste though, they already invested in Berto a great deal building him up, cutting bait before they can get a decent fight out of him is a waste, something is always better than getting nothing.

Also only certain fighters exist to HBO, so they would not do the fights you are craving anyways you would just get whoever else they want to invest in, even if it is a better fighter it would be the same.

[Shadow boxer 3]

BPP, foward this artical to Greenburg ASAP

[Bastian Loc]

It is not a waste though, they already invested in Berto a great deal building him up, cutting bait before they can get a decent fight out of him is a waste, something is always better than getting nothing.

Also only certain fighters exist to HBO, so they would not do the fights you are craving anyways you would just get whoever else they want to invest in, even if it is a better fighter it would be the same.

You're just being a nihilist.

"Certain" fighters is supposed to be a distinction, not a pejorative. If hbo considers Berto hbo level in the traditional sense, they've miscalculated again.

They are killing the sport with this.

[The Gambler1981]

So if MMA schedules on the same night as boxing they are competing with a product that is already embraced by the young demographic. The same way HBO has been doing business hasn't been working, the ratings have been going down for years now.

I would actually like HBO to start having the Tuesday or Wednesday night fights on TNT or TBS. Just **** can B.A.D build up stars on a smaller platform then have the 12 WCB events a year. Make every WCB a top fight between top fighters. If the fighters or promoters ain't willing to put their fighters tough they don't fight on HBO.

Simple.

Why do that though, there is no business reason for them to do that, how much does boxing actually bring HBO.

To continue on with a sport that is in decline as you show just seems like a waste.

If I was a stock holder that is how I would think.

[Shadow boxer 3]

It's pretty much everyone involveds fault though to be honest. even fighters. who once they reach a certain level think they are too elite.

this is a big problem IMO. fighters like bradley and berto think the deserves X amount of dollars win its not the case

[The Gambler1981]

You're just being a nihilist.

"Certain" fighters is supposed to be a distinction, not a pejorative. If hbo considers Berto hbo level in the traditional sense, they've miscalculated again.

They are killing the sport with this.

HBO is far from killing the sport no matter how poor of a job they do. Money equals life, even if you think they are wasting it is is still investment into the sport.

Without investment (of any kind) the sport would die.