Boxing's biggest problem is that it's on HBO/Showtime and not on regular tv

[generalbulldog]

I'm not sure its the biggest problem, but it is a big one. Financially would it make sense to put boxing on there? I think there's an argument for putting more young guys on network TV, but I can't see why either Mayweather or Pacquiao would do it when they make between $10-25m every time they get in the ring.

I think part of the problem is overly expensive PPVs & streaming. Personally I won't stream a fight unless I have no other way to watch it. While I understand some choosing not to if they don't feel it's worth it or don't want to support that particular fight (Pacquiao-Margarito), I personally think boxing fans who don't buy the fights they actually demand (Floyd-Shane & Manny-Cotto) are just justifying why they put all fights involving the two stars on PPV and also lose the 'leverage' argument that they dictate the fights.

What percentage of the population in the US have HBO/Showtime?

HBO has around 28-30 million subscribers, I don't know about Showtime. I remember that figure about HBO when it was said that they were airing Pac/Mosley 360 type shows on CBS (network tv) which can reach 115 to 120 million viewers potentially.

[generalbulldog]

Boxing had the mainstream audience in America what caused boxing to lose it completely was going to Showtime/HBO. At one point according to my dad and older brothers boxing was right up there probably a close 2nd with American football in terms of popularity and American Football has been the most watched sport since the late 60s or so.





Hagler-Antuorfermo 1 and Leonard-Benitez were championship bouts on network tv.



Tyson-Marvis Frazier was on network tv, ABC to be exact.



Holyfield-Qawi 1 was also on network tv.

[Spicoli]

Boxing had the mainstream audience in America what caused boxing to lose it completely was going to Showtime/HBO. At one point according to my dad and older brothers boxing was right up there probably a close 2nd with American football in terms of popularity and American Football has been the most watched sport since the late 60s or so.





Hagler-Antuorfermo 1 and Leonard-Benitez were championship bouts on network tv.



Tyson-Marvis Frazier was on network tv, ABC to be exact.



Holyfield-Qawi 1 was also on network tv.

It was and had glory days but it's not boxing going away from networks its the other way around. The money is not there and networks are on life support with 500 + channels now and web. The three main networks are going the way of the Sunday morning newspaper and print media. Love the clips...and focus.

[fan johnny]

GB makes some good premise points but I don't agree with the conclusion of the thread. What is wrong with today's boxing is not the media it's Promoters. "Don't shoot the messenger."

Promoters don't care about boxing being on regular TV, despite what comes out of their mouths today. They care about lining their pockets. Selling to HBO and Showtime was easier and less risky for the promoters, which is why I think it migrated to the cable networks. They screwed the sport by marketing it's brutality to the cable networks in order to make it easier to move to PPV. "Violence out of the kids eyes." Single sourced money for PPV was easier than having to get multiple sponsors on Aired TV. The problem for the promoters was the monopoly plan backfired. Fighters of today are less known by the causal fans simply because of less exposure on the regular media. The result is, promoters have to work harder at getting their fighters exposed to the regular media and thus we now have the term "crossover star"