Is every competitive fight on HBO going to be PPV now?

[bballchump11]

People are underselling how big Ward-Kovalev is going to be, largely because people are underestimating the amount of promo that Ward is going to be able to do for the fight, especially if the fight ends up in NYC (ESPN headquarters are on the East Coast, with The Late Show and The Tonight Show both broadcasting in NYC).

I don't think so man. Casual fans really don't know about them. That fight probably needs another year of promoting with both fighters being active. It's sad because that fight deserves attention.

[Scipio2009]

I don't think so man. Casual fans really don't know about them. That fight probably needs another year of promoting with both fighters being active. It's sad because that fight deserves attention.

Ward is still America's last Olympic gold medalist, in addition to not having lost a fight since he was twelve years old; you add that he's a clear a straightforward spoken Black man with roots in the inner city (though not apparently much of the raw hip hop edge), and you've got a guy with a story that you can take through the entire press gauntlet and shine with.

NYC radio (Hot97/106.1), the ESPN programs circuit, the late night circuit on the eve of fight (The Late Show/Tonight Show), and even daytime TV (The View w/Rosie Perez).

As long as Ward gets in another fight this summer(to keep his name in the ether), you can roll right from that fight into the tour to launch Kovalev-Ward.

[bballchump11]

Ward is still America's last Olympic gold medalist, in addition to not having lost a fight since he was twelve years old; you add that he's a clear a straightforward spoken Black man with roots in the inner city (though not apparently much of the raw hip hop edge), and you've got a guy with a story that you can take through the entire press gauntlet and shine with.

NYC radio (Hot97/106.1), the ESPN programs circuit, the late night circuit on the eve of fight (The Late Show/Tonight Show), and even daytime TV (The View w/Rosie Perez).

As long as Ward gets in another fight this summer(to keep his name in the ether), you can roll right from that fight into the tour to launch Kovalev-Ward.

overall I think what you're saying is right, but I doubt they can garner enough interest from casual fans by November

[Scipio2009]

overall I think what you're saying is right, but I doubt they can garner enough interest from casual fans by November

Maybe so, but there's enough in the matchup that it's unlikely to flop (Kovalev and Ward are both proven top fighters, the matchup is a truly 50/50 fight, and Ward can carry the promotion of the fight in American English; just saying).

The amount of free media that they're likely going to get from ESPN pushing a bigtime 50/50 fight (no different than with Cotto-Alvarez) is gonna likely be worth 100k-200k PPV buys, with Kovalev-Ward, on it's own, like;y projecting at 200k-300k PPV buys.

With Ward running the media circuit, though the fight won't do astronomical business, 300k-600k PPV buys (my guess at the number) isn't all that bad a start.

[bballchump11]

Maybe so, but there's enough in the matchup that it's unlikely to flop (Kovalev and Ward are both proven top fighters, the matchup is a truly 50/50 fight, and Ward can carry the promotion of the fight in American English; just saying).

The amount of free media that they're likely going to get from ESPN pushing a bigtime 50/50 fight (no different than with Cotto-Alvarez) is gonna likely be worth 100k-200k PPV buys, with Kovalev-Ward, on it's own, like;y projecting at 200k-300k PPV buys.

With Ward running the media circuit, though the fight won't do astronomical business, 300k-600k PPV buys (my guess at the number) isn't all that bad a start.

I think if it gets around 250K, it'll be a success.

[Scipio2009]

I think if it gets around 250K, it'll be a success.

^^^close enough, i guess