Is Matchroom's deal exclusive deal with Sky a good or bad thing for UK Boxing?

[bzkfn]

Do you approve of Matchroom having an exclusive deal with Sky Sports or do you think it is bad for British Boxing?

I'm posting this as I've read a few fan comments over the last few weeks saying they don't approve and feel other promotors should get a look in. Personally, I am very happy with it. Eddie Hearn and Matchroom's exclsuive deal forces them to put on quality stacked shows were not only is the main event good, but the undercard is solid as well. In the past, other British promotors such as Warren, Maloney, Hobson & Hennessy (although he hasn't been on Sky for years) have put out crappy shows on a Friday night featuring fights that are meaningless or complete mismatches. Also, they were heavily featured towards the main event with little focus on putting a decent undercard on. Since Matchroom have taken over, we've had alot of quality fights and as a result, more top fighters want to work with them. A monopoly might not be the best thing for the boxers but the fans are the ones that are winning. Also, this exclusive deal forced a dedicated boxing channel, so I think we're luckier than we've been in about 20 years.

Also, just to put a lid on one comment I read from a fan saying that Matchroom is shoving Prizefighter down our throats and ruining their big opportunity, note that Sky asked Matchroom for 4 Prizefighter shows per year. I think Matchroom have done a good job supplimenting it by adding a decent fighter or 2 to the bill in fights separate to Prizefighter just to give fans their moneys worth.

Would you be happy if this partnership continued?

[Silkeyjoe]

Do you approve of Matchroom having an exclusive deal with Sky Sports or do you think it is bad for British Boxing?

I'm posting this as I've read a few fan their big opportunity, note that Sky asked Matchroom for 4 Prizefighter shows per year. I think Matchroom have done a good job supplimenting it by adding a decent fighter or 2 to the bill in fights separate to Prizefighter just to give fans their moneys worth.

Would you be happy if this partnership continued?

I'd live a complete monopoly, like the uFc where fighters would have to fight. Prevent bull shot politics preventing fights

[Vendettos]

Do you approve of Matchroom having an exclusive deal with Sky Sports or do you think it is bad for British Boxing?

I'm posting this as I've read a few fan comments over the last few weeks saying they don't approve and feel other promotors should get a look in. Personally, I am very happy with it. Eddie Hearn and Matchroom's exclsuive deal forces them to put on quality stacked shows were not only is the main event good, but the undercard is solid as well. In the past, other British promotors such as Warren, Maloney, Hobson & Hennessy (although he hasn't been on Sky for years) have put out crappy shows on a Friday night featuring fights that are meaningless or complete mismatches. Also, they were heavily featured towards the main event with little focus on putting a decent undercard on. Since Matchroom have taken over, we've had alot of quality fights and as a result, more top fighters want to work with them. A monopoly might not be the best thing for the boxers but the fans are the ones that are winning. Also, this exclusive deal forced a dedicated boxing channel, so I think we're luckier than we've been in about 20 years.

Also, just to put a lid on one comment I read from a fan saying that Matchroom is shoving Prizefighter down our throats and ruining their big opportunity, note that Sky asked Matchroom for 4 Prizefighter shows per year. I think Matchroom have done a good job supplimenting it by adding a decent fighter or 2 to the bill in fights separate to Prizefighter just to give fans their moneys worth.

Would you be happy if this partnership continued?

I'm with you mate, only 2 fighters I miss not being on sky and that's Frampton and Price.

But they show everything you want.

Like you said, solid under cards. I enjoy those fights more than the main event sometimes.

[Kirkland Laing]

Let's see what happens over the next few years. Does Warren/Box Nation survive, how does Hearn do at building and managing fighters' careers and so on.

[Dia bando]

Let's see what happens over the next few years. Does Warren/Box Nation survive, how does Hearn do at building and managing fighters' careers and so on.

How many times has Warren been on a downward slide,! a few times the guy seems to have more
lives than a cat.
Frank seems to bounce back, as they say you can't beat experience wheeling and dealing.

[bzkfn]

For me the only other promoter that was putting decent cards on Sky was Hatton. I think he was the one who was treated harshly as he had a decent crop of decent fighters in the Manchester area and often his cards would be topped by a European title fight. His lack of UK TV deal is currently in the process of ruining Scott Quigg's career. He has held on to Martin Murray though, so should a decent TV deal come through, he has something to build on.

[Kirkland Laing]

Let's see what happens over the next few years. Does Warren/Box Nation survive, how does Hearn do at building and managing fighters' careers and so on.

How many times has Warren been on a downward slide,! a few times the guy seems to have more
lives than a cat.
Frank seems to bounce back, as they say you can't beat experience wheeling and dealing.

Throughout Warren's career since he went legit and got his first ITV deal he's done a fantastic job of building fighters into ticket sellers/names. Then once they get to that level his MO is to wait for a name world champ to be on the slide enough so that his guy can beat him. Then Warren puts his hand in his pocket and comes up with the money required to tempt the champion to Britain and give his guy home advantage. He's built his promoting career this way.

Where Warren falls down with the fans is he then keeps his new champion fighting Brits and foreign has-beens/never-wases. But that's how you build a long and sucessful career for your fighters! So I don't get the hate with Warren, he's doing the best for himself and his fighters.

Now we've got Hearn. Let's see Hearn put his hand in his pocket and get guys like Devon Alexander to fight in Britain instead of sending his guys abroad. And when Hearn's fighters win world belts let's see how keen he is to match them abroad with prime world level guys or shell out to bring prime belt holders here to fight. (Froch doesn't count, he's already quite close to the end of his career when Hearn signs him and only wants big fights.)

Hearn can build fighters into alphabet champs and then he's got options. Let's see which options he takes and how successful he is over his career compared to Warren.

[Master]

I think a monopoly is bad, sky should have loads of promoters why tie themselves down when they hold the money. Adam Dark seems stupid.

[Colinc]

Matchroom has sky sports by the balls , if it wasn't for them other than the football and f1 there wouldn't have much else as Hearn has the darts , snooker and few more other things they show other than boxing