Thread: ITV are bailing out of boxing after the end of 2009

Boxing News magazine has confirmed it will end its 26 show over 2 year deal with Hennessy early. With Setanta possibly going too, this is horrible for UK fans.

This is what an ITV spokesman said...

"Given the economic climate, ITV must ensure that its programming is commercially viable. At the moment, boxing on free-to-air commercial television is not economically sustainable and as a result ITV has no plans to broadcast boxing in 2010. We keep all programming under review and if in the future the commercial facts change then we'll be happy to consider broadcasting boxing again."

Another ITV source added...

"This decision is in no way a reflection of the quality of fights we have been broadcasting, nor does it signify dissatisfaction with the sport. If the economic climate improves, there is every chance we could show boxing again."

Sad. With so many guys actually qualifying to the olympics last year they missed a hell of an opportunity for exposure by fighting on terrestrial. Khan got a lot of viewers early on, and if you had four or five fighting regurarly (and on seperate cards) you'd have an ITV1 show every fortnight and get the sport back in the mainstream, but all strategies nowadays are severely short sighted, a little less money early on could give them exposure to be more lucrative when actually challenging for the titles.

shit.

well this is NOT good news.. with ITV and Setanta gone, looks like we're gunna have to settle for Sky's stupid PPV prices.

That's a shame. Hardly surprising though, it seems like only a handful of people, even on this boxing site, ever seem to watch, or comment on, small hall British stuff.

That's fucking great news that is

Hate this fucking country

Read it in the paper the other day.
Darts, snooker and the boat race are still on but they take off boxing. Load of shite.

Originally Posted by JoeyUK

well this is NOT good news.. with ITV and Setanta gone, looks like we're gunna have to settle for Sky's stupid PPV prices.

Looks like Rfank Awarren's voodoo doll for the competition has worked.


Just goes to show, you CAN polish a turd.

[quote=bzkfn;744440]Boxing News magazine has confirmed it will end its 26 show over 2 year deal with Hennessy early. With Setanta possibly going too, this is horrible for UK fans.

This is what an ITV spokesman said...

"Given the economic climate, ITV must ensure that its programming is commercially viable. At the moment, boxing on free-to-air commercial television is not economically sustainable and as a result ITV has no plans to broadcast boxing in 2010. We keep all programming under review and if in the future the commercial facts change then we'll be happy to consider broadcasting boxing again."

Another ITV source added...



does'nt that fucking do your head in that these big boardcasters are finding it hard to find funding to keep them afloat as we all go through these really hard recession times,were as here is Man Utd selling a human being that kicks a ball around the pitch for 80million pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by Fenster

That's a shame. Hardly surprising though, it seems like only a handful of people, even on this boxing site, ever seem to watch, or comment on, small hall British stuff.

They got around 2.4 million viewers for the Froch-Pascal fight, but haven't released figures for the small hall shows.

[quote=yvonne;744531]

Originally Posted by bzkfn

Boxing News magazine has confirmed it will end its 26 show over 2 year deal with Hennessy early. With Setanta possibly going too, this is horrible for UK fans.

This is what an ITV spokesman said...

"Given the economic climate, ITV must ensure that its programming is commercially viable. At the moment, boxing on free-to-air commercial television is not economically sustainable and as a result ITV has no plans to broadcast boxing in 2010. We keep all programming under review and if in the future the commercial facts change then we'll be happy to consider broadcasting boxing again."




does'nt that fucking do your head in that these big boardcasters are finding it hard to find funding to keep them afloat as we all go through these really hard recession times,were as here is Man Utd selling a human being that kicks a ball around the pitch for 80million pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!

As a United fan, I'd have to say...no.

It's sad really. I would imagine that a lot of the people in the UK like to watch boxing. It's a shame nobody will be able to watch fights.

The BBC and ITV should be ashamed of themselves. They invest all this money in really crap TV and can't pull it together for a few decent fights. Big Brother or a title fight, they shall choose for you!

On the plus side this has some possibly positive news about the future of Setanta

Setanta in race to seal deal with US billionaire Leonard Blavatnik | Media | guardian.co.uk

Hope this works out & they can stay afloat

Boxing sucks for UK fans.