Could PBC's Next Deal Be With HBO?

[Eff Pandas]

There was a podcast about a week & change ago where Tim Smith (VP of Communications with Haymon Sports) said there will be another big announcement within a few weeks.

Its been theorized this is another TV partner.

HBO's doesn't seem to have anything on their calendar except oddly enough a fight between 2 Haymon fighters (under Matchroom Promotions). Its been said that Canelo & GGG will be free agents. Kovalev seemed to have gotten his walking papers recently as well. Jacobs & Matchroom appear to be on their last fight with HBO next month. And SuperFly 3 did some of the worst numbers for HBO in awhile.

With all that happening HBO hasn't really hinted at exiting the boxing business quite yet despite many, myself included, have been feeling like they will b exiting boxing virtually any time now or in the next few years.

Is it possible PBC & HBO will go into business with each other & that this new announcement PBC has is in relation to that? Or is Showtime & PBC working together going to make that an impossible alliance to make?

Heard this theory on the Sunday Puncher podcast & a solid argument was made for it without it getting shot down very much.

[deanrw]

Unless the higher-ups at HBO increases funding towards their boxing programming, I cannot see it. Arum left HBO due to their lack of dates and financial commitment.

On the other hand I did see something a few months ago saying that HBO would increase funding again in 2019. I cannot remember where I saw it or if it was even legit, but I remember seeing it somewhere.

[Motorcity Cobra]

Unless the higher-ups at HBO increases funding towards their boxing programming, I cannot see it. Arum left HBO due to their lack of dates and financial commitment.

On the other hand I did see something a few months ago saying that HBO would increase funding again in 2019. I cannot remember where I saw it or if it was even legit, but I remember seeing it somewhere.

This guy used to work for HBO

Former HBO Sports Marketing Exec with a boxing podcast focused on the business of the sport

To be honest, HBO’s boxing budget for next year probably isn’t set yet, and GGG and Canelo are at PPV level so their contracts aren’t part of it. But HBO has some real work to if they want to convince anyone to stay. Wow

— Fistianados Podcast (@Fistianadospod) September 12, 2018

I know the vibe out there is not good, but traditionally the budgets are decided in a few weeks. These FA might force their hand

— Fistianados Podcast (@Fistianadospod) September 13, 2018

HBO budget is year by year and they knew this year would be tough. The telling sign will be the 2019 fights. They wouldn’t have their 2019 budget yet, so even this rematch doesn’t truly tell the story. AT&T could decide it wants boxing & then it could be back.

— Fistianados Podcast (@Fistianadospod) August 30, 2018

[MasterPlan]

Out of all the other networks HBO seems to be the least likely.

Why build Showtime Boxing up on the past 4-5 years just to go back over the HBO.

PBC would rather go back to ESPN than to go to HBO.

I'm surprised they're not gonna have dates on CBS Sports Network.

Other Networks in association with SHO and FOX
The CW
MyNetworkTV
AXS TV (they show other combat sports like MMA, Wrestling, Karate)

[Eff Pandas]

Out of all the other networks HBO seems to be the least likely.

I don't really disagree of the players in boxing. But what is HBO gonna put on in 2019 with all these bridges its lighting on fire? Or is it just done?

Why build Showtime Boxing up on the past 4-5 years just to go back over the HBO.

Idk that everything has to be about Showtime vs HBO. I seem to recall people doing business with both Showtime & HBO at one time though admittedly that seems like its happened less in recent times.

PBC would rather go back to ESPN than to go to HBO.

I doubt ESPN would even have much to offer PBC is the thing there. They seem to be fully aligned with Arum while having Oscar on some lesser deal. How much money/dates could they legit offer PBC? I'd assume not much. And I actually think Bob is doing okay for ESPN with some of his pickups or whoever is doing okay with that if its not Bob. The thing with TR soft matchmaking guys is a problem for me as a fan, but I think they are even upping their game a lil with that & putting their guys in riskier fights.

I'm surprised they're not gonna have dates on CBS Sports Network.

Other Networks in association with SHO and FOX
The CW
MyNetworkTV
AXS TV (they show other combat sports like MMA, Wrestling, Karate)

Has the CW every shown fights?

And that AXS channel could be something if there a sister station, but Smith made it seem like this isn't a non-big deal so AXS doesn't seem like it'd be much to hype.

[MasterPlan]

I don't really disagree of the players in boxing. But what is HBO gonna put on in 2019 with all these bridges its lighting on fire? Or is it just done?

They have the SuperFly series. So that is at least 2 dates. If they keep GGG that is about 3 fights (depending on what Canelo wants to do with the rematch.)
Not sure if Matchroom Boxing will continue on HBO with DAZN in the picture now.
At the least we're looking at 5 shows.

Idk that everything has to be about Showtime vs HBO. I seem to recall people doing business with both Showtime & HBO at one time though admittedly that seems like its happened less in recent times.

It doesn't but it definitely has been in the past 4-5 years.

I doubt ESPN would even have much to offer PBC is the thing there. They seem to be fully aligned with Arum while having Oscar on some lesser deal. How much money/dates could they legit offer PBC? I'd assume not much. And I actually think Bob is doing okay for ESPN with some of his pickups or whoever is doing okay with that if its not Bob. The thing with TR soft matchmaking guys is a problem for me as a fan, but I think they are even upping their game a lil with that & putting their guys in riskier fights.

I was saying ESPN in a joking manner.

Has the CW every shown fights?

And that AXS channel could be something if there a sister station, but Smith made it seem like this isn't a non-big deal so AXS doesn't seem like it'd be much to hype.

I'm not too sure CW shows sports other than WWE.
I doubt AXS has a sister station.

Unless they're getting a network out the blue like A&E or USA (which will be WWE free in 2019) I have no clue.

[Eff Pandas]

They have the SuperFly series. So that is at least 2 dates.

Does anyone give a f#ck about SuperFly doe? To me it was a 1 event thing. Now they are doing all these also ran-ish guys now that Roman took his L's & its less viable as a ratings grabber.

If they keep GGG that is about 3 fights (depending on what Canelo wants to do with the rematch.)
Not sure if Matchroom Boxing will continue on HBO with DAZN in the picture now.
At the least we're looking at 5 shows.

LOL 5 shows. Wtf HBO. Its back to being a quarterly boxing event you think like when it started? But honestly I'm not even sure 5 shows are guaranteed with how things look right now. And I'm not sure GGG is coming back. I suspect GGG will be getting some offers from Warren or Hearn depending on how that Andrade vs BJS fight goes down.

And I'm assuming HBO & Matchroom are done with this DAZN thing. Idk what Matchroom & Jacobs deal is so idk if that means Jacobs could be on DAZN soon now or not.

I doubt AXS has a sister station.

Nah I thought YOU were saying AXS is a sister station of Fox or Showtime.

Unless they're getting a network out the blue like A&E or USA (which will be WWE free in 2019) I have no clue.

Yea thats something that could be what this is. With all the money coming into boxing maybe some new players will be coming into it too like DAZN already has.

[Scipio2009]

There was a podcast about a week & change ago where Tim Smith (VP of Communications with Haymon Sports) said there will be another big announcement within a few weeks.

Its been theorized this is another TV partner.

HBO's doesn't seem to have anything on their calendar except oddly enough a fight between 2 Haymon fighters (under Matchroom Promotions). Its been said that Canelo & GGG will be free agents. Kovalev seemed to have gotten his walking papers recently as well. Jacobs & Matchroom appear to be on their last fight with HBO next month. And SuperFly 3 did some of the worst numbers for HBO in awhile.

With all that happening HBO hasn't really hinted at exiting the boxing business quite yet despite many, myself included, have been feeling like they will b exiting boxing virtually any time now or in the next few years.

Is it possible PBC & HBO will go into business with each other & that this new announcement PBC has is in relation to that? Or is Showtime & PBC working together going to make that an impossible alliance to make?

Heard this theory on the Sunday Puncher podcast & a solid argument was made for it without it getting shot down very much.

HBO is not going to get any PBC content, and that was made explicitly clear when Haymon Sports signed their new deal with Showtime/CBS for four years and a believed $60m per year.

With that out the way, we can get back to reality.

No different than when Don King and Bob Arum divided the world in the 80s, HBO, if they stay in the boxing business, is going to need a house promoter for boxing.

Haymon Sports is providing the content for FOX/FS1 and most of the content for Showtime (ShoBox, Mikey, and the international TV not withstanding), Top Rank is the provider for ESPN, Matchroom Sport is the provider for DAZN, and that basically covers it for the US.

The days of HBO simply picking the best fights from wherever are over, and have basically been over since the year before Floyd jumped to Showtime/CBS. So the old model is gone with it.

With Time Warner now under the AT&T banner, the deck has basically been cleared of obligations from the team before AT&T; an assessment will be made by the new team, a budget will be set, and that budget is going to be spent on one promoter to deliver content for HBO.

The only other standalone outfit with the juice to deliver on such a deal, from what I can see, is Golden Boy Promotions: $20m a year for 8-10 fight dates, backing for two Canelo PPVs per year, with the proceeds from the Canelo PPV either adding more shows to the schedule or helping finance a Canelo tickover off of PPV.

Canelo, Ryan Garcia, JoJo Diaz Jr, Diego De La Hoya, Jason Quigley, and the handful of prospects under that will become the crux of HBO Boxing, with Oscar reaching out and bringing others in as needed (Canelo vs Lemieux/Munguia are already fights that can be made for PPV).

[MasterPlan]

Nah I thought YOU were saying AXS is a sister station of Fox or Showtime

AXS is under the CBS/SHO umbrella is what I was saying.

[IMDAZED]

Nah, not happening.