The most important Article you'll read as a boxing fan

[HattonTheHammer]

To be honest ive always been rather confused as to how the channel actually makes money in terms of PPV buys if it is attempting to sell fights on a weekly basis, most of which will be un-appealing to your average boxing fan yet alone your boxing hardcore fan per say.

Would it not be more of a viable option for HBO to bundle 3-4 "big" fights onto a card per month and sell that as a "mega event" kind of in the way UFC or WWE will sell its PPVs.

People arent going to pay 30+ dollars to see de la hoya-forbes. I follow the sport with a passion though I still wouldnt touch that with a bargepoll!!!

[BoomBoom]

I could really care less about the numbers as long as the fights are entertaining. Ultimately its the fights themselves that matter to the fans, not money surrounding it. The big networks spend a lot of money to make a lot. Networks like ESPN dont put up as much or make as much but the fights are just as enteraining, if not more. And i think the reason is a fighter knows he has to shine on ESPN if he want to eventually make HBO money. Once a fighter is on HBO the money is already there so there isnt as much incentive imo especially if your a fighter that is always on Shotime or HBO.

[gyrokai]

To be honest ive always been rather confused as to how the channel actually makes money in terms of PPV buys if it is attempting to sell fights on a weekly basis, most of which will be un-appealing to your average boxing fan yet alone your boxing hardcore fan per say.

Would it not be more of a viable option for HBO to bundle 3-4 "big" fights onto a card per month and sell that as a "mega event" kind of in the way UFC or WWE will sell its PPVs.

People arent going to pay 30+ dollars to see de la hoya-forbes. I follow the sport with a passion though I still wouldnt touch that with a bargepoll!!!

Spot on.... spot on. Rep when I can.

I think HBO thinks that "names" carry the sport. They are looking for the next Ali, the next Leonard, the next Tyson, the next de la Hoya...

They should NOT actively look for that name and instead just hold up their hands and let these mega events happen and just when nobody expects it, there will be a name. But it must come in this Mega-Event structures.

[Spicoli]

HBO has fallen off over the years Imo.They at one time were the big dog along with ESPN & the "free" tv networks...ABC,CBS but have had to adjust and bend with the explosion of Technology and mass media availability...Showtime,MMA,web cast's etc.They have tried to reach the younger demograohic with gimmicks "KO NATION" ugh.I do like the addition of Max Kellerman,Terrible on camera but he knows his boxing and history.I do think they put way to much emphasis on the "Next big" such & such as opposed to letting fighters develope in progressive fashion,David reid comes to mind.The Prospects show they aired with Gamboa was a nice change of pace but they Imo really got abit carried away in the Hype and putting the cart before the horse.They have gone away from full fledged After Dark Cards most of the time,our co-feature is last weeks PPV main event.They are indeed about pushing the big names and the mis matches are nothing new....although not the norm.DelaHoya Vs.Charpentier and Hopkins Vs.Hakkar...etc.

[superheavyrhun]

I must admit, I was expecting something a little more dramatic than this when I saw the title of the thread. To be honest, for those outside the United States, for the most part, won't really know too much about HBO, and as long as someone screens the biggest fights, I doubt those outside the states will pay that much attention.

For those outside the US, is HBO still the biggest boxing broadcaster in the States, or has it become a divided market now? Showtime is another channel that pops to my mind...but only cause it has a computer game named after it.

[Fenster]

HBO has more money than sense.

Mismatches don't work. 50/50 matches do.

There's too many PPVs. You need to invest in the future.

What's new?

[Kirkland Laing]

Thomas Hauser is the best and most informative boxing writer by some distance. He hit the nail exactly on the head with this article.

[gyrokai]

HBO has more money than sense.

Mismatches don't work. 50/50 matches do.

There's too many PPVs. You need to invest in the future.

What's new?

Hey Fenster,

What's new, eh?

It explains WHY does HBO makes these BAD moves.... ON PURPOSE... goes out of the way... spends millions... more money than you or anybody will see in their lifetimes ON JUNK fights that hurt the sport AND hbo.

This article is the FIRST one to actually attack that AND have a valid answer with reliable sources to back it up.

[boozeboxer]

Whoever said that ESPN's fights are as entertaining as HBO's has either not watched some of that shit or is misinformed.

Showtime has really slacked IMO but Vaz/Marq buys you alot of mediocrity for the resst of the year.