How Long is HBO Going to Stay in the Boxing Business?

[-MAKAVELLI-]

i wish ESPN would take over...they're probably richer than both networks and could make the fights that people want to see

[maguirre]

What "trend?" "Going all wrong?"

Dude you havent backed up ANYTHING you have said. Do you have any info on a decrease in HBO's budget or in how many fights it plans to schedule? Have they cut back on tertiary programming like 24/7, Fight Game, Face Off, etc.? Have they trimmed undercard broadcasts? something...anything other than your observations.

Maybe you are on to something but you cant back it up so it looks like you are just reading headlines press releases about fighters signing with Showtime and then saying HBO is on its way out.

Mayweather's huge PPV fights have a way of screwing things up, especially for people who are huge fans of his. This is where they're getting all this "Showtime is winning" crap. It's a huge deal to them, when in reality any network can throw huge parties with the kind of money they're throwing.

Money Mayweather is not even on Showtime, if you are a subscriber, he's on PPV.

We don't have numbers, but it appears that Showtime is spending way more than they're making on Mayweather PPVs. Most of their fighters have been inactive.

[The Gambler1981]

i wish ESPN would take over...they're probably richer than both networks and could make the fights that people want to see

That is really the dream scenario, I also think ESPN would do a much better job of working with other networks so instead of pulling in different directions like now maybe they could maybe pull in sort of the same direction at the same time.

[WilkinsOlajuwon]

i wish ESPN would take over...they're probably richer than both networks and could make the fights that people want to see

Unless PPV dies ESPN wont be able to completely take over but maybe somehow they can get Bob and GB to consider working together. Hey we can dream right?

[-MAKAVELLI-]

That is really the dream scenario, I also think ESPN would do a much better job of working with other networks so instead of pulling in different directions like now maybe they could maybe pull in sort of the same direction at the same time.

Unless PPV dies ESPN wont be able to completely take over but maybe somehow they can get Bob and GB to consider working together. Hey we can dream right?

im almost 100% certain that ESPN has done ppv fights before...that's with them giving boxing minimal attention...i can only imagine if they decided to give boxing a REAL spotlight



boxing, with these network feuds, is ripe for the taking...ESPN already HAS the sports-watching demographic...i would love for them to take a 'sport' away from these movie channels so that these channels realize what they had

[Ray Corso]

A long time if their overhead can remain minimal. Like anything else overhead dictates longevity when the product fluctuates in quality.
A bottom line is the fact you don't know if the fights a barn burner or a marsh mellow roast!

Alverez vs Mayweather was advertised as the young lion against the master boxer and the young lion winds up being a kitty cat whose effort was ridiculous!

Predicting some sporting events is like predicting the weather the charts have all the measurements and the experts have all the reasons but its up to the two men to "try and win" when you add in the really untested you don't know if he shows up or not!






all though Floyd has been pretty good at predicting the weather hahahaha...

Ray

[WilkinsOlajuwon]

im almost 100% certain that ESPN has done ppv fights before...that's with them giving boxing minimal attention...i can only imagine if they decided to give boxing a REAL spotlight



boxing, with these network feuds, is ripe for the taking...ESPN already HAS the sports-watching demographic...i would love for them to take a 'sport' away from these movie channels so that these channels realize what they had

ESPN has aired PPV before. And it can do it again...but that doesnt change things. ESPN may have the ratings...but it can't transform those ratings into a bigger payday for the top fighters in the sport--especially the elite that can put on a PPV. Even with guys like Ward and Donaire who HBO pays over $1mm, ESPN will have to pony up the cash to make it worth the switch.

PPV is ingrained too much into the sport's DNA in my opinion. It would take years for a new model to reign. Its a catch 22 of sorts. ESPN has the viewers but the sport isnt popular enough to attract major advertisers. it would be a very very slow shift.

[The Gambler1981]

im almost 100% certain that ESPN has done ppv fights before...that's with them giving boxing minimal attention...i can only imagine if they decided to give boxing a REAL spotlight



boxing, with these network feuds, is ripe for the taking...ESPN already HAS the sports-watching demographic...i would love for them to take a 'sport' away from these movie channels so that these channels realize what they had

I am sure ESPN can put on a decent PPV, and I am sure they would sell the **** out of it.


Obviously the networks compete but every other sport they at least work civil with each other but in boxing they have taken competition to a whole other level. It has always been something I wondered what if the networks actually worked somewhat toward a similar goal rather than going to each others throat constantly

[brick wall]

too much irrationality and wild speculations.

so just because hbo can no longer boss around showtime means they're going out of boxing?

what about the simple reason that sho's resurgence in boxing is only because of its close or exclusive ties with gbp/haymon? and of course that only happened because hbo refused to work with gbp.

hbo obviously can still thrive without gbp and that something you can't say about sho. without gbp, sho is left with nothing. majority of promoters still prefers hbo but for some weird reasons, boxing is on its way out at hbo

[The Gambler1981]

I guess I was off by half a year, it sucks to see the writing on the wall sometimes. HBO was what I watched and helped make me a huge fan of the sport and to me it was painful to watch the last years so I had already made my peace with this.


Still I will focus on all the good HBO did for boxing not the BS.