Comments Thread For: Ken Hershman To Step Down As HBO Sports Prez

[Eastcoast]

That was GBP and Oscar.

Give me a break. Schaeffer & Haymon were calling the shots back then.

[Fetta]

Give me a break. Schaeffer & Haymon were calling the shots back then.

I remember Oscar being the frontman here but ok

[jqSide]

The Haymon ban came from higher up than Hershman. Haymon was instrumental in Floyd going to Showtime, then Haymon/Schaeffer took young stars - Broner & Alvarez over to Showtime after HBO invested millions into them. The last straw was when Showtime counter programmed the Martinez/Chavez ppv with Alvarez/Lopez. They had no choice but to cut off Haymon after paying his fighters like Berto millions of dollars in weak fights. Considering what Haymon has done to Showtime since then, it was a brilliant move.

Schaefer led the exodus to Showtime. As amateurish as he is, he thought HBO was cheating and making record profits in the business. Showtime gave the trio Schaefer/Haymon/Espinoza complete control of the business. They realized it's really not that profitable. Look where Showtime and Haymon are now. Schaefer even lost his job.

[Eastcoast]

was that Haymon, or was that ODH and GBP?

Yes, it may have been a good short term move, but maybe long term it wasn't. I don't know that it came from higher up because when Herschman got the job he fired Kerry Davis, the guy who Haymon worked closest with.

Do you think Herscman leaving is good for us fans or bad?

I think some new blood at the top will be good. I liked what Hershman did at Showtime, and he was repairing alot damages left from Greenberg/Davis, but I'd like to see some new changes at HBO.

[The Big Dunn]

I think some new blood at the top will be good. I liked what Hershman did at Showtime, and he was repairing alot damages left from Greenberg/Davis, but I'd like to see some new changes at HBO.

I am just hopeful that the ban is lifted and Haymon and the new person work together to make the fights we want. I also hope this puts an end to the rumored "PBC belts" thing that was going around.

[Eastcoast]

I remember Oscar being the frontman here but ok

That sounds like selective memory, since there's been numerous media on the how Oscar was out of control back then with his addictions and how Haymon/Schaeffer conspired to promote fighters w/o signing them and later forced to settle in court.

[Eff Pandas]

Apparently Peter Nelson is the favorite to take over for Herschman.

"You have to have fighters that dare to be great" Peter Nelson HBO pic.twitter.com/zy62tuWVER

— GoldenBoyPromotions (@GoldenBoyBoxing) October 1, 2015

[The Big Dunn]

http://www.yardbarker.com/boxing/articles/ken_hershman_stepping_down_as_hbo_sports_president/s1_9754_19802872

A very surprising development from HBO this morning, as the network announced that Ken Hershman is leaving as president of HBO Sports. Per John Ourand on Twitter, "Ken Hershman will step down as HBO Sports President at the end of the year. He’s run the division since 2012."

The news circulated quickly among the boxing press, which shouldn’t be a surprise given the prominent role HBO plays within that sport. Hershman came to HBO from Showtime, succeeding Ross Greenburg, where he ran that network’s sports division for 10 years. Yahoo! Sports Kevin Iole recalled that CBS president Les Moonves was so angered by Hershman going to HBO that he ordered Showtime to do whatever necessary to sign Floyd Mayweather away from its top rival. Sure enough, Mayweather signed a six-fight deal with Showtime that just expired a month ago.

As you might expect, Hershman believes he’s leaving HBO Sports in a good position, especially in establishing relationships with the fighters the network features. Here are remarks from an official press release (via Bad Left Hook):


“I am particularly proud of what I accomplished and believe now is the perfect time to hand over the reins to someone new. I’ve had the distinct privilege of having been involved in many of boxing’s biggest and most thrilling moments, including the Mike Tyson era, creating the Super Six Tournament, and, staging the biggest pay-per-view event of all-time this past May in Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao. I have also had the privilege to steward over some of the best sports shows on television, including 24/7, Real Sports and Hard Knocks, and to work with some of the best talent in television, both behind and in front of the camera.

“HBO Sports is well positioned for the future, especially in the boxing arena, with nine of the top 10 pound-for-pound fighters in the sport today, including the world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, Canelo Alvarez, Gennady Golovkin, Sergey Kovalev, Miguel Cotto, Andre Ward, Terence Crawford and many others. I cannot wait to watch these great fighters exhibit their skills, but from the vantage point of a passionate boxing fan.”

Hershman did not give a reason for a resignation in his press release. He will work with network president Michael Lombardo during the transition to a successor at HBO Sports.

Some might be wondering how this could affect Bill Simmons, but Simmons dealt with Lombardo and network CEO Richard Plepler when making his move to HBO. However, Simmons was to work with Hershman on developing non-boxing shows and documentaries for HBO Sports. That is surely still part of his deal with the network.

[Eastcoast]

I am just hopeful that the ban is lifted and Haymon and the new person work together to make the fights we want. I also hope this puts an end to the rumored "PBC belts" thing that was going around.

Agreed. This sport's been fractured way too long.

[Fetta]

That sounds like selective memory, since there's been numerous media on the how Oscar was out of control back then with his addictions and how Haymon/Schaeffer conspired to promote fighters w/o signing them and later forced to settle in court.

Out of control with his additions but in front of the cameras cheering it on.