Comments Thread For: Crawford-Indongo Fight Averaged 965,000 Viewers on ESPN

[stiff_back]

Not bad for ESPN ratings if you look at their average regardless of the event or show. They rarely get 500K.

We don't have details of the deal between ESPN and Arum. Seems clear that fighters and promoters get their paychecks regardless of the ratings.

http://deadspin.com/espns-ratings-ar...atte-722030528

But how much are they paying for their usual shows at that time compared to how much they're paying for boxing?

That's crucial information that we don't know anything about.

[Motorcity Cobra]

Idiot, your post included Crawfords fights going back 7 fights. Stop the cherry-picking and excuses.

And what does Crawford's fights on HBO have to do with Pacquiao's fight on ESPN? Those fights are posted as a reference to compare his ratings on HBO to his ratings on ESPN. GOD DAMN YOU'RE ******

[Mitchell Kane]

Interesting numbers, but only shows part of the picture w/out the main event peak/avg.

[brettWall]

But how much are they paying for their usual shows at that time compared to how much they're paying for boxing?

That's crucial information that we don't know anything about.

Fact that they just gleefully announced the Loma/Rigo fight to be aired on ESPN prior to the Indongo fight, means they're not concerned about the ratings.

I don't even know what some people are suggesting. Go back to HBO and deal with the same complicated negotiations again or what? Showtime and PBC have inactivity problems. Where are they going to go? What are their options?

[North Star]

Do these ratings tally up people that streamed it from the ESPN app? I cut the cord recently and just stream everything through a Firestick, and watching TV that way is eventually going to be the mainstream source for households in the future.

[bigdunny1]

If top rank draws in 700K's and 900K's respectively for 2 of their biggest names who happen to be on every P4P list what will the rest of the Top Rank cards draw? Outside of Pacquaio who's ratings now look like an outlier what can you expect going forward for Top Rank? I can't imagine ESPN going all out to promote any card more then they did these last 2. Next card features a huge drop off in star power with Valdez and Ramires on Sept 22 it will be interesting to see how that plays out.

[sicko]

These ratings are virtually the same as both guys got on HBO looks like the same hardcore boxing audience tuned in to ESPN not much else. But huge drop off from Pacqiao fight that drew 2.8m viewers on ESPN. Also ESPN ran so much promo's all day long for Crawford. You couldn't watch sportscenter without seeing it. If ESPN can get the same ratings for Little League World Series games that they don't even promote or have to pay much money for why are they going to spend millions for Top Rank fights when the time buy is over? Same problem PBC had 1m on HBO or Showtime would be GREAT numbers but on other networks they expect higher then that especially if you want them to spend millions on a TV deal

So the problem is NOT Network, Promoter, Manager, Adviser or anything of that, the problem is THE SPORT OF BOXING ITSELF! Something I have posted consistently but Boxing Fans are extremely stubborn and feel because of Mayweather and Pacquiao success that the sport of boxing is still "More Popular Than MMA" but sorry it is NOT! Not here in American at least, I wish it was different, I wish boxing did a better job building other stars while Mayweather and Pacquiao has casuals glued in but from their ERA only Canelo was developed and because Mayweather dominated him HE is not the big star or draw Oscar hoped he would be. His PPV Numbers on his own are just average, he too can't really get the Casuals on board for his fights consistently.

So being on ESPN or even Network TV that don't mean **** for boxing when the sport of boxing IN GENERAL is on a Decline and Casuals could give a **** about these fighters because they just don't know who they are and never heard of them. Scoring KO's really don't mean anything if nobody is watching!

NO NETWORK is going to invest into boxing like HBO and Showtime so no none of them will get a Network deal like UFC got with Fox/Fox Sports because the sport is so divided so making big fights are difficult. Compared to the UFC where all of the top UFC guys are under one Brand/One Umbrella! Also UFC is popular with a young Audience unlike Boxing who young people don't give a *** about unless Mayweather is attached to it!

[hectari]

Man the thread title is misleading, you are talking about Crawfords ratings yet made it like you were talking about Top Ranks overall ratings very misleading title, next time say Crawford in it man.

That rating sounds about right for Crawford, he doesnt have big name, hopefully that fast KO helped build buzz for his name

[brettWall]

You can't compare avg shows you need to compare what ESPN does for their live sporting events during prime time. For example the very next day ESPN sunday night baseball drew 1.776M viewers for 2 teams that if the playoffs started today wouldn't be in Cardinals vs Pirates. The ratings do matter right now ESPN is NOT paying for these fights but if you expect them to pay later on you need ratings. It's time buy similar to what PBC had with ESPN Top Rank and their investors are paying the fighters.

So what exactly are you suggesting? They can't possibly produce fights with popular fighters in it all the time. It's impossible. You win some you lose some. Networks can't possibly survive just by depending on boxing, for example aware that some show won't do well, while others do. HBO, for example, got Real Time for a live show and gets 4mil average. They might as well get rid of their Boxing if that's what you're implying.

Point is, they have to go with the overall average, regardless of the event, baseball, boxing, talk shows, etc.

[-DSG-]

Danny and LSC both did better numbers!