Are PPVs ruining boxing?

[IamInuit]

Maybe eroding. I do think boxing will look quite different within the next decade. If boxing was a plant PPV would be its root and the symbiotic relationship between promoters and broadcasters the over watering gardener.

They are now overcompensating in damage control for the exit of Floyd and Manny by increasing the dose.

Lots of light in the tunnel though with great fighters coming up around the world. Be good to get rid of these guys to be honest(in relationship to the ppv ?) and people ought not expect replacements. He could make 20 million fighting a ring tailed lemur and that's part of the problem. Guys like Floyd come around once in a generation with few exceptions.

You always hear about that 1% theory in our western economic systems where a small group have all the wealth well its kind of been that way with boxing over this past decade and personified by PPV. The world seems or seemed to revolve around 6 to 8 fighters. That is a pretty constricted market place in this new globally connected world and one that has to collapse on the weight of itself. I think the exit of Manny and especially Floyd might just start boxing back to re-potting itself and establishing a new root base. A few years of short term pain I suspect and ppv numbers start to dwindle and with that boxers salaries. They may try to revamp it but I truly believe its days are numbered and that pun was not intended.

[Beanflicker]

You guys have to realize that with Manny and Floyd gone, you're also taking about a ton of revenue also leaving with them.

Boxing needs it's superstars, it's always been an "attraction" sport. And I just don't see anyone on the horizon that can carry the torch.

Especially now with MMA gaining so much popularity and replacing boxing as the world's premier combat sport.

Boxing is in rough shape.

[holmcall]

Given the puke-provoking undercards, I do indeed.

[fan johnny]

Aren't PPV an extension of the live gate? Live TV needs sponsors to air, Sponsors need the audiance viewership for value to be there. For most non-title fights, people just don't have much intrest in watching. PPV makes it easier for the fighter to get a fair cut of the gate. I think a better model would be to go to POD Casts. I would definately stream Martinez vs Cotto or Provodnikov vs Algieri but would have a hard time buying the PPV. If there were a POD Cast @$5-10 bucks, I would buy it in a heart beat. It's not the PPV that hurts boxing, it's the promoter.

[generalbulldog]

When Floyd and Pacqiao retires, they both will take a lot of revenues and whatever little interest that is in boxing with them. I can't wait for that day. Boxing has to really hit rock bottom for a lot of reformation to take place. It has to get really worse before it gets better. Problem is will boxing rebound with MMA now being the top combat sport in terms of participation and viewership?

[cyclone]

When Floyd and Pacqiao retires, they both will take a lot of revenues and whatever little interest that is in boxing with them. I can't wait for that day. Boxing has to really hit rock bottom for a lot of reformation to take place. It has to get really worse before it gets better. Problem is will boxing rebound with MMA now being the top combat sport in terms of participation and viewership?

MMA is not the top combat sport and you know it..

If they are why aren't they making top money...like boxers...?

[Beanflicker]

If they are why aren't they making top money...like boxers...?

Well that's a big advantage that boxers have over UFC guys, that there's more than one big game in town and they have more bargaining power to get the big fights.

But if you're talking public perception, what the mainstream is interested in, it's all MMA.

Before MMA, the heavyweight boxing champion of the world was considered the baddest man on the planet. Even though an elite HW kickboxer probably would have put him in the hospital, kickboxing never took off in a significant way and was never able to compete with boxing.

MMA has stolen boxing's luster. Cain Velasquez would put any top HW boxer in a coma in a real fight, and the public knows this.

Young kids who have dreams of fighting for a living and being the toughest guy on the planet are not flocking to boxing gyms anymore, they're going to MMA gyms.

MMA is taking away public interest and it's stealing a lot of kids who would be potential boxers.

[IamInuit]

When Floyd and Pacqiao retires, they both will take a lot of revenues and whatever little interest that is in boxing with them. I can't wait for that day. Boxing has to really hit rock bottom for a lot of reformation to take place. It has to get really worse before it gets better. Problem is will boxing rebound with MMA now being the top combat sport in terms of participation and viewership?

Believe it or not I got an ominous feeling in the pit of my stomach when a buddy and I paid 25 bucks a pop in 1981 to go watch Leonard/Hearns in the old Calgary Corral hockey arena. Of course the outcome of the fight fueled that dread.

Leonard in many ways started the whole ppv era and was the first 100 million dollar fighter. The Tyson era took it to a new level and you could almost see the corner where the accident would happen on. There were times when I thought they might do a ppv of him going to the toilet. I think Floyd is the end of the ppv era and I've thought for years now that boxing would have to implode in order to get on track and that it would be brutally painful at times along the way. Many fans will leave but then they were not really fans to begin with. I think the pain will be long time gain but also that history will repeat itself just because of the very nature of the sport. I think its going to become more fringe and I think that's ok. It may resurrect the real meaning of risk and reward. Boxing will never die anymore then prostitution will.

[cyclone]

You guys have to realize that with Manny and Floyd gone, you're also taking about a ton of revenue also leaving with them.

Boxing needs it's superstars, it's always been an "attraction" sport. And I just don't see anyone on the horizon that can carry the torch.

Especially now with MMA gaining so much popularity and replacing boxing as the world's premier combat sport.

Boxing is in rough shape.

MMA is in rough shape..save your tears for that shit.

[Beanflicker]

Boxing is in rough shape.

MMA is in rough shape..save your tears for that shit.[/QUOTE]

Yeah? Are they really?