Comments Thread For: Top Rank, ESPN Announce Multi-Year Exclusive Deal

[Sweet Jones]

This is a good deal for Bob Arum, but will it be good for Loma and Crawford?

Exactly.

I keep hearing fans trumpeting this deal, but I have yet to see anyone explain how this is any different from Top Ranks previous deal with HBO as far as how it impacts their ability to put together non in-house fights nor how it impacts fighters getting their proper cut for the revenue they generate.

Seems like all we're getting is boxing's old 'promoter-controls-my-career' business model circa 2009, with ESPN replacing HBO as the network muscle.

You can already see in the near future a Bob Arum turning down the Spencesvand Thurmans of the world for Crawford because 'ESPN won't pay those guys what they are demanding' and 'this fight MUST be on ESPN'.

[Steven Mccowan]

Have they specifically said it's not a (at least partial) time buy anywhere?

yeah the boxing guys that work for the publicly traded company have swore this on multiple occasions

[Steven Mccowan]

Exactly.

I keep hearing fans trumpeting this deal, but I have yet to see anyone explain how this is any different from Top Ranks previous deal with HBO as far as how it impacts their ability to put together non in-house fights nor how it impacts fighters getting their proper cut for the revenue they generate.

Seems like all we're getting is boxing's old 'promoter-controls-my-career' business model circa 2009, with ESPN replacing HBO as the network muscle.

You can already see in the near future a Bob Arum turning down the Spencesvand Thurmans of the world for Crawford because 'ESPN won't pay those guys what they are demanding' and 'this fight MUST be on ESPN'.

Promotors have always controlled careers since it was learned there is big money to be made. Since jack johnson, jack dempsey etc.

[Steven Mccowan]

Exactly.

I keep hearing fans trumpeting this deal, but I have yet to see anyone explain how this is any different from Top Ranks previous deal with HBO as far as how it impacts their ability to put together non in-house fights nor how it impacts fighters getting their proper cut for the revenue they generate.

Seems like all we're getting is boxing's old 'promoter-controls-my-career' business model circa 2009, with ESPN replacing HBO as the network muscle.

You can already see in the near future a Bob Arum turning down the Spencesvand Thurmans of the world for Crawford because 'ESPN won't pay those guys what they are demanding' and 'this fight MUST be on ESPN'.

Oh and the ibc controlling tv spots

[Sweet Jones]

Promotors have always controlled careers since it was learned there is big money to be made. Since jack johnson, jack dempsey etc.

And as ODLH and Mayweather have shown, this has artificially depressed a fighters pay, especially when those promoters are tied exclusively to one network.

I get it from Top Ranks perspective, as this model keeps the promoter in the power position. But what does Bud Crawford or Loma get out of this if they are still limited to same-pay inhouse fights due to network ties?

[Bronx2245]

Exactly.

I keep hearing fans trumpeting this deal, but I have yet to see anyone explain how this is any different from Top Ranks previous deal with HBO as far as how it impacts their ability to put together non in-house fights nor how it impacts fighters getting their proper cut for the revenue they generate.

Seems like all we're getting is boxing's old 'promoter-controls-my-career' business model circa 2009, with ESPN replacing HBO as the network muscle.

You can already see in the near future a Bob Arum turning down the Spencesvand Thurmans of the world for Crawford because 'ESPN won't pay those guys what they are demanding' and 'this fight MUST be on ESPN'.

That would be a shame! TC and Loma are so talented, but I can't see a future without Mikey Garcia, Errol Spence Jr., and the other very talented fighters signed to Al Haymon. Looks like the war between ESPN and FOX, will soon have an effect on boxing!

[Steven Mccowan]

And as ODLH and Mayweather have shown, this has artificially depressed a fighters pay, especially when those promoters are tied exclusively to one network.

I get it from Top Ranks perspective, as this model keeps the promoter in the power position. But what does Bud Crawford or Loma get out of this if they are still limited to same-pay inhouse fights due to network ties?

Yeah and srl showed it in 80's.
But most fighters without a promotional company and their ties to insiders and tv and career planning are not known and as danny garcia, and guys like him very inactive and while talented widely unknown besides the 1 million boxing fans in america. And dont underestimate what promotional company did for dlh and jr. De la hoya built a big following using top rank and jr became known using top rank and when jr left them he used gbp. So while promoters are known to be shady as hell they are by all means a necessary evil. If errol spence had a promotor with a plan he would be more active and more known, same with thurman etc. Look at it more as a business connection that knows all the right ppl and has all right ppl working for them. Just look loma is as well known or more well known then thurman, who hasnt grown much since leaving gbp. Like i said necessary evil.

[HanzGruber]

Hopefully part of the deal is that Bradley isn't allowed to commentate. Can't stand him on there sounding like a drunk

[killakali]

Well yeah, Fox isn't a cable network. Even UFC doesn't get that mant dates on Fox.

Fox gives pbc three dates a year but only as a time buy

[IMDAZED]

Fox gives pbc three dates a year but only as a time buy

What does that have to do with what I said? Yes, it's a time buy.

We're talking dates. UFC gets four FOX dates a year. And so does PBC. So I would assume that if/when they get a deal with FOX, they would get 4-6 fights a year on FOX, supported by a bunch of shows on FS1, just like UFC.