Corona virus killing sports at the moment

[Master]

Coronavirus upends boxing's pay structure, meaning fighters must take less once pandemic ends

Why fighters must take less after coronavirus pandemic
In most professional sports, an athlete’s pay is directly related to performance. Nice guy or bad guy, popular or not, if you help your team win, you will be paid. The more helpful you are, the more you will be paid.

And, that’s as it should be despite some fans, particularly old-timers, shuddering at the Monopoly-type numbers being thrown around today. Adjusted for inflation, Babe Ruth only made $16.4 million — in his entire career. And Ruth’s $80,000 salary in 1931 would equate to $1.3 million in 2020, or about $35 million less than New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole will make when this season begins.

The money is there, though, and so the players in all sports are worth what they can get. There are salary caps in the NBA, NFL and NHL, which dictate the pool from which the players are paid. The NBA players recently agreed to take 25 percent pay cuts beginning on May 15.

And when those cap leagues begin their next season, salaries are going to come down because revenues have declined.

Boxing, though, is different. Paying for performance is only part of the equation, and the less important part. The Yankees’ gross revenues won’t change appreciably no matter how Cole performs. Yankee Stadium is still going to be largely sold out, TV ratings will be high and the Yankees will basically have that license to print money.

Boxing is vastly different. If a fighter is great but can’t sell tickets, the promoter is going to be in dire straits if the pay structure of the contract is judged by performance like it is in MLB, NHL, NFL and NBA.

The majority of fighters who earn $1 million a fight wind up being losing propositions for promoters. And while few feel sorry for promoters, there are no fights without the promoters.

That’s why, coming off this coronavirus pandemic that has completely upended the business, fighters are going to have to take less than they’ve traditionally earned.

Among the problems boxing faces in in the U.S. is relatively tepid TV ratings, poor ticket sales and an almost non-existent pay-per-view market. When fights resume, they’ll be in closed venues with no audience, which is only going to increase problems for promoters, most of whom lose money on the vast majority of their shows.



Terence Crawford, the brilliant and unbeaten WBO welterweight champion, made a remarkable statement during a podcast interview with Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated. Crawford said he’d need to make more money if he fought without fans.

“ ... If it was to happen, then they have to pay me more. You know, they have to pay me more because fighters of my status and on my level, we get paid for the people that’s coming there as well. So, you know, if I can’t get paid off of people coming, then I’m gonna have to get paid up front.”

The money simply isn’t there, and Crawford’s view, and the view of others similarly situated, is selfish. Where does he think this money is coming from? His words are ridiculously short-sighted and display an ignorance of the way the business works.

He sells tickets when he fights in Omaha, Nebraska, his hometown, but he’s not a draw anywhere else. And he’s a complete bomb when it comes to selling on PPV. He didn’t sell 100,000 pay-per-views for his fight last year against Amir Khan, when he was guaranteed $5 million plus a percentage of the PPV sales. He sold similarly poorly in his PPV bout with Viktor Postol.

The sport can make a comeback if it makes the fights the fans want to see on a regular basis, makes deep, evenly matched cards and spends time and money on advertising.

Fighters like Canelo Alvarez and Anthony Joshua are worth what they earn because they bring in tremendous amounts of money. But they are two of the few who do that.

And while no one is asking these fighters to be paid like paupers, there has to be some kind of an adjustment given the devastation that has been wrought on the sport. If Crawford, for instance, were to get a $3 million guarantee and a better deal on the upside, he’d have more incentive to help sell the show, which in turn would make the business better for everyone. It would also enable the promoters to spend more money on a deep and talented undercard with competitive fights.

When the NHL returned from its lockout in 2005, it made a number of adjustments to make the sport more fan-friendly. Boxers need to be a part of that, as well. Fighters used to making $5 million may have to accept $3 million, and those making $3 million may have to take $2 million instead. They’re hardly living like paupers at those figures, but the money is more reflective of their value.

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/pan...192528689.html

[TIC]

how many fighters will use this as an excuse for a tune up fight?

[Master]

Nicaraguan boxing event goes ahead with masks and temperature checks

Boxing action may have ground to a halt in the United Kingdom and across the world because of the coronavirus pandemic - but in Nicaragua, it is business as usual.

Well, almost.

On Saturday night, a fight card with a difference took place in capital city Managua, with fighters sporting face masks - as did referees, judges, the media, fans and ring girls.



Boxers were allowed to remove their protective mask to fight, while those in attendance were instructed to disinfect their hands and shoes upon entry before being forced to sit a safe distance apart.

Nicaragua has not adopted social distancing measures and as a result, fighters were allowed to stand nose to nose for a traditional face-off at Friday's weigh in, albeit while wearing masks.



Nicaraguan legend and current WBA super-flyweight champion Roman 'Chocolatito' Gonzalez turned out to watch the fight night - and like all spectators, had his temperature checked before entering the Alexis Arguello Sports Center.

Several fighters withdrew from the card but organisers had said they wanted to send a message that the sport continues by staging the show, which offered free tickets. In the main event, Nicaraguan lightweight Robin Zamora outpointed compatriot Ramiro Blanco.



Authorities in Nicaragua have allowed sporting events - such as the country's football season - to continue during the coronavirus pandemic. World Health Organization data shows three people have died from the virus in the Central American country.

More than 20,000 people have died from the virus in the UK, where boxing has been shut down until at least the end of May.

Some promoters hope to resume action behind closed doors but the British Boxing Board of Control has intimated the sport could take time to resume when day-to-day restrictions are lifted in the UK.

General Secretary Robert Smith has said the medical personnel needed ringside and hospital access required for fight nights must be considered when the NHS is already under strain.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/52432485

[Master]

Joseph Parker hoping August fight in 'New Zealand bubble' gets approval

Joseph Parker is hoping a fight in New Zealand in August will get approval amid the coronavirus pandemic, with Lucas Browne his most likely opponent.

David Higgins, who manages former WBO heavyweight champion Parker, is working to remove any obstacles to ensure a fight against Australian Browne can be finalised.

Browne is seen as the highest-profile fighter close to New Zealand at a time where global travel restrictions remain in place.

The event would be scaled down with as few as 100 people in attendance and some of the funds generated from what Higgins hopes will be a huge television audience would go to charity.

A decision is expected inside the next week, with Parker looking to get back into world title contention and avenge defeats he suffered to Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte.

"Team Parker together with Matchroom and our broadcast partners, we'd like to make history, and run a safe, credible boxing promotion, coming out of the pandemic," Higgins said to Sky Sports.

"In a small New Zealand bubble, but on worldwide TV, hopefully to a couple of billion viewers and raise money for charity at the same time.

"Provide entertainment, hope, supplies, and show that we can get the economy going again. That's our goal, we're working on it, and we'll do our best.

"Right now in partnership with Matchroom we're doing due diligence on a possible Joseph Parker fight in August in New Zealand.

"Location is sort of a bit further down the track. In the check list, safety first.

"Got to make sure that everyone is safe and that we fit with government regulations, then it's a matter of, is it economically viable?"



Parker confirmed on Twitter that his team was "working behind the scenes" to arrange a fight, adding a pray emoji to express his hopes a solution could be found.

Higgins explained his client's preferred opponent, adding: "In our part of the world, the most experienced heavyweight possibility for Joe is probably Lucas Browne.

"If you read his record, his losses have been to very good fighters and he's a guy that probably deserves a shot.

"You've got other guys like Junior Fa, guys in Australia, but they haven't fought nearly as good opponents as Lucas and they're not as experienced. I think there might be a deal there [with Browne]."

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/cor...114036698.html

[X]

I wasn't bothered by football and cricket being cancelled.

I could cope with tennis and athletics being put off.

I was bereft when boxing and rugby was cancelled.

But THIS IS THE LAST STRAW. THE WORLD HAS GONE CRAZY, WE ARE IN THE END OF DAYS WHEN THIS HAPPENS

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-dorset-52571038?

[walrus]

I wasn't bothered by football and cricket being cancelled.

I could cope with tennis and athletics being put off.

I was bereft when boxing and rugby was cancelled.

But THIS IS THE LAST STRAW. THE WORLD HAS GONE CRAZY, WE ARE IN THE END OF DAYS WHEN THIS HAPPENS

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-dorset-52571038?

At least we can watch it online imagine if it was canceled all together. Don’t screw with my nob

[Master]

Organisers said entries had come in from all corners of the UK, including Castle Donington, Ellesmere Port and Cockermouth. Now that has got to be made up.