Comments Thread For: Stephen Espinoza Promoted To Sports & Event Programming Prez

[BigStomps]

We usually call and complain to our provider around the time GoT is coming on, get HBO, then drop it right after lol it's been working for years now

You cheap bastard! 😄😆

[Scipio2009]

I agree bro, they made business decisions with monthly Emotional Acumen. Now they are indeed struggling for short term and longer term talent. GB without Schaefer is not the talent house you can depend on. They want Joshua but not sure he is going anywhere because Showtime is intent on keepin him. Hopefully HBO will unhinge the closed door to Al Haymon and we can get back to unified boxing.

Haymon's not abandoning Showtime/CBS at this point, so I'm not sure "unhinging the closed door" at this point will make a difference.

If TimeWarner (HBO's parent company) was smart, they'd make the deal to buy the full broadcast rights to the UFC (PPVs plus the FOX/FS1 package) for the $400m a year/10 years deal that the UFC was initially shopping.

Deliver the PPV events around Saul Alvarez, finance whatever other boxing on the network off of the take from said PPVs, and build the UFC as destination programming for the company (fights likely for HBOPPV, HBO, TNT, and TruTV).

[Scipio2009]

Yea if not for Mayweather I think its a solid bet he doesn't have a gig now with Showtime, but its hard to argue with the PPV numbers Showtime has done since Espinoza started working with Floyd.

I imagine a high percentage of Showtime's PPV numbers are Espinoza driven & made during his reign.

I wouldn't say that, tbh. If not for Mayweather (the timing of when Espinoza actually took over the boxing portfolio is new to me), I think Showtime would've still found ways to try and be Showtime; featuring divisions that HBO had waivering interest in, while doubling down on the vision of featuring largely competitive fights over showcase fights.

What juice Espinoza would've had to execute that is beyond me, though.

[sicko]

So much for Showtime Boxing Ratings being "SO BAD", clearly CBS/Showtime is VERY VERY happy with what he is doing with Showtime boxing to give him a major promotion like that. Cong**** To The Weasel!

But Boxing Benefits from the promotion the most because it likely means a BIGGER BUDGET for Showtime which means more Top level Fights match ups if guys are going to be compensated accordingly

The Success Mayweather vs McGregor I'm sure had a TON to do with the Promotion tho.

[Pandur]

Haymon's not abandoning Showtime/CBS at this point, so I'm not sure "unhinging the closed door" at this point will make a difference.

If TimeWarner (HBO's parent company) was smart, they'd make the deal to buy the full broadcast rights to the UFC (PPVs plus the FOX/FS1 package) for the $400m a year/10 years deal that the UFC was initially shopping.

Deliver the PPV events around Saul Alvarez, finance whatever other boxing on the network off of the take from said PPVs, and build the UFC as destination programming for the company (fights likely for HBOPPV, HBO, TNT, and TruTV).

Why would HBO give the UFC 400 mil. per year?

That is a huge amount of money for a product that does not have a PPV star.
If McGregor does not come back, there is nobody in their stable that sells more than 900K PPV buys.

[Fire4231]

Haymon's not abandoning Showtime/CBS at this point, so I'm not sure "unhinging the closed door" at this point will make a difference.

If TimeWarner (HBO's parent company) was smart, they'd make the deal to buy the full broadcast rights to the UFC (PPVs plus the FOX/FS1 package) for the $400m a year/10 years deal that the UFC was initially shopping.

Deliver the PPV events around Saul Alvarez, finance whatever other boxing on the network off of the take from said PPVs, and build the UFC as destination programming for the company (fights likely for HBOPPV, HBO, TNT, and TruTV).

Like the UFC but it’s not my concern. HBO was a boxing tradition and brand. Not sure how having Lampley’s branded voice calling Stipe’s fights does anything for either company? Saul Alvarez is on an island. What does he do after the GGG fight? He is surrounded by fighters who would be favored to beat him. Only thing the PBC Model is missing is the ability to make fights happen across ALL promoters and the ability to work with all networks and create bidding wars for the best fights secured the deal and expands profit margins. With his largest stable of top fighters and cooperation with HBO, NBC, CBS, ESPN could all bid against Showtime for all the top fights. It’s what the MLB, NFL and NBA do. They put the championship game out for bit and it’s worth it. What if networks could bid on Joshua vs Wilder or Spence vs Crawford or Canelo vs Thurman? We wouldn’t even need a PPV Model. No more network exclusives just capitalist free market driving up revenues and forcing the networks to promote the hell out of it. In that model boxing wins and no promotor is worried about whether they will make money. Boxing selling itself for cheap due to a drought that simply no longer exists. Boxing is still killing the game you just have the bar infrastructure more willing to show UFC because of it’s acceptable diversity.

[RSBonos]

I've done a complete 180 on the weasel. A few years ago Showtime had an awful year, but now they upped their boxing budget and he's made big fights. imo he looked good during the Conor nonsense.

[RSBonos]

Why would HBO give the UFC 400 mil. per year?

They wont even get half that.

[Scipio2009]

Why would HBO give the UFC 400 mil. per year?

That is a huge amount of money for a product that does not have a PPV star.
If McGregor does not come back, there is nobody in their stable that sells more than 900K PPV buys.

Because the UFC has an audience that will travel for the, and HBO needs new destination programming with the coming end of Game of Thrones.

With the UFC having the full package, they can better shape the product (8-10 PPVs, 10-15 fight nights on HBO, 4-8 shows on TNT, with the rest of the schedule on TruTV).

Properly prime things, and HBO's star machine can get to work; Tyron Woodley, Demetrius Johnson, Jon Jones (if he ever comes back), Rose Namajunas, Khabib Nurgamedov, Stipe Miotic, and a few others have the sheer talent to be packaged into draws (any fighter that can basically get over 500k homes is basically in the money for the UFC).

Between the UFC fans who end up adding HBO ($15 per month, basically comes to $180 per new home), the TNT/TruTV revenue, and then the take on the PPVs (with fewer shows, even without the starpower, can be stacked to entice value) and you've got a massive annual haul to work with, with the next 10 years to then cultivate and build PPV stars to pay off the deal in the end.

HBO spent $100m a year on Game of Thrones, with the only way to monetize that expense being the homes that picked up/kept HBO to just see that one program.

Sticker shock, to be sure, but the money can be made back on a UFC deal, from what I can see.

[Scipio2009]

Like the UFC but it’s not my concern. HBO was a boxing tradition and brand. Not sure how having Lampley’s branded voice calling Stipe’s fights does anything for either company? Saul Alvarez is on an island. What does he do after the GGG fight? He is surrounded by fighters who would be favored to beat him. Only thing the PBC Model is missing is the ability to make fights happen across ALL promoters and the ability to work with all networks and create bidding wars for the best fights secured the deal and expands profit margins. With his largest stable of top fighters and cooperation with HBO, NBC, CBS, ESPN could all bid against Showtime for all the top fights. It’s what the MLB, NFL and NBA do. They put the championship game out for bit and it’s worth it. What if networks could bid on Joshua vs Wilder or Spence vs Crawford or Canelo vs Thurman? We wouldn’t even need a PPV Model. No more network exclusives just capitalist free market driving up revenues and forcing the networks to promote the hell out of it. In that model boxing wins and no promotor is worried about whether they will make money. Boxing selling itself for cheap due to a drought that simply no longer exists. Boxing is still killing the game you just have the bar infrastructure more willing to show UFC because of it’s acceptable diversity.

HBO gave up their "boxing tradition" years ago, it just took time for folks to finally accept that (some longer than others). Having Lampley's voice, as far as HBO's concern, calling a fight is akin to Michael Buffer announcing a fight; whether it be boxing, wrestling, MMA, kickboxing, or basically any other combat sport, Buffer's voice brings value to the combat sports audience.

In terms of Saul Alvarez, assuming he fights well against Golovkin (basically win or lose), fights against Saunders and Jacobs are both PPVs (could add Andrade if he can get a few wins too); with Alvarez basically fighting in May and September going forward, there's time to build other challengers.

Showtime is going for the jugular, and the infighting among the rest of the boxing world likely has Haymon's plan coming to fruition; if you're expecting Arum and Oscar to ever actually work together, I wouldn't hold my breath.