The LA Time writer who wrote the Boxing is dead article...

[Motorcity Cobra]

The casual fan simply doesn't know where to go to watch boxing anymore.

HBO on Saturday nights used to be the de facto destination for the sport but now it's gone.

Most people don't know that they have to tune in to FOX or ESPN or ESPN2. Or that ESPN+ and DAZN are options.

Showtime is the only familiar thing left from the old days and even their boxing schedule has become erratic. Plus they were never in a lot of homes to begin with.

ESPN is a sports station. They don't have to get sports fans over to the station like Fox & Showtime does. ESPN should be doing way better numbers than they are.

[ShoulderRoll]

ESPN is a sports station. They don't have to get sports fans over to the station like Fox & Showtime does. ESPN should be doing way better numbers than they are.

Ratings are bad across the board for everybody in boxing.

This transitional phase that the sport is in is hurting it's popularity.

[Motorcity Cobra]

Ratings are bad across the board for everybody in boxing.

This transitional phase that the sport is in is hurting it's popularity.

Gervonta' Davis on Showtime should not be matching Shakur Stevenson ratings on ESPN. Fox ratings are up across the board. And only getting higher once NFL & WWE cross promotion starts.

[ShoulderRoll]

Gervonta' Davis on Showtime should not be matching Shakur Stevenson ratings on ESPN. Fox ratings are up across the board. And only getting higher once NFL & WWE cross promotion starts.

Boxing on ESPN has gotten moved around to different channels to accommodate other programming and has had wonky start times.

So Top Rank has done a terrible job with that no question.

But FOX is in way more homes and does abysmal ratings so they have nothing to crow about either.

And I'm sure hardly anyone watches DAZN when Canelo isn't fighting.

Nobody has bragging rights in the current climate.

[Motorcity Cobra]

Boxing on ESPN has gotten moved around to different channels to accommodate other programming and has had wonky start times.

So Top Rank has done a terrible job with that no question.

But FOX is in way more homes and does abysmal ratings so they have nothing to crow about either.

And I'm sure hardly anyone watches DAZN when Canelo isn't fighting.

Nobody has bragging rights in the current climate.

The homes argument is invalid because ESPN matches the ratings of the broadcast networks for football and basketball when paired in the same time slots. If they can match in other sports why can't they match in boxing? You don't have to get sports fans to tune into ESPN. You have to get sports fans to tune into Fox with a lead up show that isn't sports. Top Ranks highest rated shows have been those that followed college football or comment football award shows. And the Hooker fight that came on a midnight but followed Sportscenter

[ShoulderRoll]

The homes argument is invalid because ESPN matches the ratings of the broadcast networks for football and basketball when paired in the same time slots. If they can match in other sports why can't they match in boxing? You don't have to get sports fans to tune into ESPN. You have to get sports fans to tune into Fox with a lead up show that isn't sports. Top Ranks highest rated shows have been those that followed college football or comment football award shows. And the Hooker fight that came on a midnight but followed Sportscenter

Football and basketball are the most popular sports in America.

You can't expect boxing to get similar viewership patterns especially when it had rarely been on ESPN until recently. (outside of Friday Night Fights which also tended to have unspectacular ratings.)

[Motorcity Cobra]

Football and basketball are the most popular sports in America.

You can't expect boxing to get similar viewership patterns especially when it had rarely been on ESPN until recently. (outside of Friday Night Fights which also tended to have unspectacular ratings.)

I don't expect them to get similar viewings as football and basketball. I'm saying if ESPN can match football and basketball on broadcast tv why can't they match boxing (same sport) on broadcast tv? Especially since they're a sports station

[ShoulderRoll]

I don't expect them to get similar viewings as football and basketball. I'm saying if ESPN can match football and basketball on broadcast tv why can't they match boxing (same sport) on broadcast tv? Especially since they're a sports station

They can't match boxing on broadcast tv because boxing isn't popular with a huge, rabid audience that will watch it no matter what network it's on.

[Motorcity Cobra]

They can't match boxing on broadcast tv because boxing isn't popular with a huge, rabid audience that will watch it no matter what network it's on.

So how can Fox get peak ratings of 1.7 mil with a lead in show of local programming or an infomercial but ESPN can't match those numbers with a sports lead in show? ESPN has to retain sports fans. Fox has get sports fans to change the channel.

[ShoulderRoll]

So how can Fox get peak ratings of 1.7 mil with a lead in show of local programming or an infomercial but ESPN can't match those numbers with a sports lead in show? ESPN has to retain sports fans. Fox has get sports fans to change the channel.

1.7 mil is actually pretty poor for free tv. I bet that was one of the lowest rated shows for that particular day in that particular time slot.

Top Rank has done a crap job promoting since they've been on ESPN. We seem to agree on that.

But that doesn't mean I have to say that PBC is doing great when they really aren't.