Stevenson be clamin' HBO refused 50/50

[Raonic]

Stevenson is a VIACOM fighter (which owns all of the networks Stevenson has been fighting on, like Showtime, CBS and Spike).

VIACOM is the company willing to pay the most for the fight. Why should the fight automatically go to HBO when HBO isn't offering as much as VIACOM?

Except that's not close to being true. Stevenson has NO CONTRACT OBLIGATIONS with any network. He's free hopping to wherever Haymon makes him fight. Haymon is forcing ST into the issue when they don't need to be because he's still mad that HBO cut his fighters out. When you find me proof that Stevenson is obligated to fight on "VIACOM", get back to me.

[HeroBando]

Bando -

You complain about comparing numbers from networks in a different amount of homes, but then immediately compare numbers from networks in a different amount of homes.

Meanwhile, you claim HBO is boxing's biggest platform while simultaneously complaining that the comparison is unfair because it's a smaller platform.

So which is it?



Emre Belozoglu -

All of the numbers I listed are easily verifiable. All I did was google the names of the fighters and the names of the networks to find news articles listing the ratings for the events in question.

The vast majority of the readers of this site automatically buy into whatever propaganda HBO is pushing. There are two sides to every story, but since HBO knows the other side (Al Haymon) doesn't speak publicly, it allows HBO to twist the truth as much as they desire because they know nobody is going to expose their lies.

If an unbiased person looks at the cold hard facts, they will see that HBO is tricking the fans into not realizing that HBO is the one blocking all of these fights.

HBO had the contractual right to match any offer Stevenson received. HBO declined to match Viacom's offer. HBO could have easily made Stevenson-Kovalev, but they refused.

After Stevenson signed with Viacom, Kovalev's HBO deal expired. Kovalev could have fought Stevenson, but instead signed another HBO contract.

Kovalev was Stevenson's mandatory, meaning the fight goes to purse bid and ends up on whatever network pays the most. Stevenson agreed to the fight. Kovalev backed out.

But since the hardcore fans have trusted HBO for decades, they believe whatever narrative HBO is pushing, whether that narrative is based in reality or not.

That is why so many people here react so emotionally. It's like telling them that Santa Claus isn't real. They've trusted HBO their entire life to be the guiding light in the sport of boxing, the trusted voice in the sport of boxing and the platform where the biggest fights take place.

So when you explain to them that HBO is full of it and show them the cold hard numbers that prove that HBO is now the 2nd rate boxing brand, they react the way somebody reacts when you insult their religion.

Showtime has 71% of HBO subscribers. He lost 50% of the viewers in his first SHO outing, and 75% in his next.

Spike is available to 3x the HBO viewers. He did half his HBO numbers there.

Resounding failure

[original zero]

Raonic -

Every single thing I said was true. You can't point out a single thing I said that isn't true, so instead you attack a position I never took. Nice try, but this ain't my first rodeo.

First of all, you have *NO IDEA* what Stevenson's contractual obligations.

Second of all, we know that Kovalev's HBO contract expired last year and instead of fighting Stevenson, he signed another exclusive contract with HBO.

Stevenson fights exclusively for Viacom. There is no dis*****g that. All of his fights have been for Viacom since leaving HBO.

You say he should stab Viacom in the back for one fight on HBO, but why didn't Kovalev just take one fight with Viacom last year when his contract expired?

I'll wait . . .



Bando -

Nice try. You mention every network except for CBS. How convenient. Twice as many people watched Stevenson's fight than watched Kovalev's fight.

You claimed HBO is boxing's biggest platform but you were 100% wrong. HBO is boxing's FOURTH biggest platform. NBC, CBS and FOX are all bigger platforms.

Nobody forced you to post false information.

Stevenson left HBO for Viacom and more people than ever watched him fight because CBS is a bigger platform than HBO.

You can label that a failure if you want, but it makes you look like a fool.

[HeroBando]

Raonic -

Every single thing I said was true. You can't point out a single thing I said that isn't true, so instead you attack a position I never took. Nice try, but this ain't my first rodeo.

First of all, you have *NO IDEA* what Stevenson's contractual obligations.

Second of all, we know that Kovalev's HBO contract expired last year and instead of fighting Stevenson, he signed another exclusive contract with HBO.

Stevenson fights exclusively for Viacom. There is no dis*****g that. All of his fights have been for Viacom since leaving HBO.

You say he should stab Viacom in the back for one fight on HBO, but why didn't Kovalev just take one fight with Viacom last year when his contract expired?

I'll wait . . .



Bando -

Nice try. You mention every network except for CBS. How convenient. Twice as many people watched Stevenson's fight than watched Kovalev's fight.

You claimed HBO is boxing's biggest platform but you were 100% wrong. HBO is boxing's FOURTH biggest platform. NBC, CBS and FOX are all bigger platforms.

Nobody forced you to post false information.

Stevenson left HBO for Viacom and more people than ever watched him fight because CBS is a bigger platform than HBO.

You can label that a failure if you want, but it makes you look like a fool.

OK so he did poor numbers on Sho, the poor numbers on CBS, finally poor numbers on Spike. With laughable attendance for Canada's only champ in lucrative Quebec, where washed up non champs Pascal and Bute are better draw

[original zero]

OK so he did poor numbers on Sho, the poor numbers on CBS, finally poor numbers on Spike. With laughable attendance for Canada's only champ in lucrative Quebec, where washed up non champs Pascal and Bute are better draw

Nearly two million watched Stevenson on CBS *in the afternoon.*

On what basis are those "poor numbers?"

And you continue to refuse to explain how HBO is "boxing's biggest platform" when boxing on NBC, CBS and FOX completely blow away the number of viewers on HBO.

Those were your words. Boxing's biggest platform. How can a channel with so few viewers be a bigger platform than networks with millions more boxing viewers?

Hahaha, try to explain that one away . . .

[BrometheusBob.]

Move over Chickenson... BrometheusSOG already has a vaguely worded agreement to fight Kovalev in Q4 2016. I've spent way too much time perfecting my 'accidental' headbutts in the gym for you to come in the way of things now.

[HeroBando]

Nearly two million watched Stevenson on CBS *in the afternoon.*

On what basis are those "poor numbers?"

And you continue to refuse to explain how HBO is "boxing's biggest platform" when boxing on NBC, CBS and FOX completely blow away the number of viewers on HBO.

Those were your words. Boxing's biggest platform. How can a channel with so few viewers be a bigger platform than networks with millions more boxing viewers?

Hahaha, try to explain that one away . . .

It's the biggest platform in terms of prestige, credibility etc. It's got the longevity, 9/10 p4pers, all of the Ppv stars, only network shown capable of making a ppv star. Helps their position that premium cable B side rival Sho is in the dumps, and this PBC thing is unlikely to last much longer

[original zero]

Hero Bando -

*NONE OF THOSE THINGS MAKE HBO THE BIGGEST PLATFORM.*

Biggest platform = biggest audience.

Is English your first language?

HBO is boxing's fourth biggest platform.

[HeroBando]

Hero Bando -

*NONE OF THOSE THINGS MAKE HBO THE BIGGEST PLATFORM.*

Biggest platform = biggest audience.

Is English your first language?

HBO is boxing's fourth biggest platform.

How about the biggest sustainable platform? Or most prestigious? Or best money? Or anything you wanna call #1

[original zero]

How about the biggest sustainable platform? Or most prestigious? Or best money? Or anything you wanna call #1

You didn't answer the question. Is English your first language?

HBO is nowhere near boxing's biggest platform.

And while it may be the most prestigious in the eyes of internet nerds, to the millions watching PBC that don't watch HBO, HBO is irrelevant.