how can boxing get popular again if every fight is a PPV?

[mgoblue]

while I was driving home they were talking about this on sports radio, and thought it'd be a good discussion here. Mosely Vargas wasn't really a PPV level fight, according to what people said (not for a title, the and the two were fighting off of past fame). How does the boxing industry expect to hook new fans without offering more stuff on free tv?

[MagicBucsWsoxFan]

Re: how can boxing get popular again if every fight is a PPV?

I totally agree and its real annoying. I usually buy 1 or two a year. All I know is if they didnt show the reply the next week on HBO i wouldnt be nearly as big the boxing fan as I am today.

also back when I got into boxing i had a cheater box so saw every fight for free, but thats since went out and I love the sport to much to leave it.

[MakeItWork4Ya]

Re: how can boxing get popular again if every fight is a PPV?

I agree. I still think that as a boxing fan, there are still some very very good fights possible (the Lacy - Calzaghe, Judah-PBJ, etc). But you gotta make them accessible to the public.

[thegreatone0381]

Re: how can boxing get popular again if every fight is a PPV?

Yeah I agree. Not everyone has HBO BUT on March 18th James Toney fights Hasim Rahman for the Heavyweight Title. Also Miguel Cotto fights Gianluca Branco on March 4th on HBO. I'm sure there are some decent fights on Showtime in the upcoming months as well.

[JayBee74]

Re: how can boxing get popular again if every fight is a PPV?

Is Lacy-Calzaghe PPV?

[JayBee74]

Re: how can boxing get popular again if every fight is a PPV?

Never mind-I just read where it will be a PPV Showtime Fight.

[MagicBucsWsoxFan]

Re: how can boxing get popular again if every fight is a PPV?

im happy to inform,

the Lacy fight is NOT on PPV if you have showtime, if you dont have showtime, then it is offered on PPV.

[koolbubbaice]

Re: how can boxing get popular again if every fight is a PPV?

while I was driving home they were talking about this on sports radio, and thought it'd be a good discussion here. Mosely Vargas wasn't really a PPV level fight, according to what people said (not for a title, the and the two were fighting off of past fame). How does the boxing industry expect to hook new fans without offering more stuff on free tv?

I been saying this since 92..

The reason why Leonard, Duran, Hagler, Hearns, did great on PPV is because they were seen on ABC/NBC/CBS on a regular basis..The audience grew up with them, & grew to love them, or love to see them lose.. in the early 80's... ABC/NBC/CBS should over 50 fights a yr.Most title fights.. Then in the 90's networks turned their back on boxing.. Cable broadcast boxing with ESPN & the USA channel..But Tue Night fights was cancelled in 98, even though it was the highest rated show the USA channel..ESPN dropped their boxing program, now its on ESPN2..Fox sports shows some bouts now & then..But if you want to watch a Big match up you need HBO/Showtime or shell out 30-60 bucks..

[fistofrage]

Re: how can boxing get popular again if every fight is a PPV?

while I was driving home they were talking about this on sports radio, and thought it'd be a good discussion here. Mosely Vargas wasn't really a PPV level fight, according to what people said (not for a title, the and the two were fighting off of past fame). How does the boxing industry expect to hook new fans without offering more stuff on free tv?

I agree I remember watching Mike Tyson on Saturday afternoons growing up on Wild World of Sports. You have an up an coming champion fighting when evryone can see it, thats how you make the sport popular again.

[necrobeast]

Re: how can boxing get popular again if every fight is a PPV?

Having all the boxing stuff on pay cable or ppv really does suck (I would have HBO/Showtime if not for their boxing coverage)...but I'm not too convinced I want boxing to be popular again...The saturation and general lack of quality in the coverage of the NFL. NBA and College Football has really turned me away from the sports....boxing is fairly underground right now and I think it's a good realm for the sport to operate in.

[Complex]

Re: how can boxing get popular again if every fight is a PPV?

Everything has a price tied to it in some form or another, even free tv.

[undisputed55]

Re: how can boxing get popular again if every fight is a PPV?

Another reason is because alot of boxers nowadays only want big money fights and the only way to get that is through PPV buys. Regular cable boxing doesn't do anything for them.

[Heelfan71]

Re: how can boxing get popular again if every fight is a PPV?

I remember as a kid watching Sugar Ray Leonard and Hagler fight on regular tv...........It's a shame the way it is going because there isn't anyone I would pay to see in boxing.

[Aaenuel]

Re: how can boxing get popular again if every fight is a PPV?

Sneaky trick for anyone with Directv. I have only used this once or twice because I am too paranoid to do it more than that. If there is a big fight coming on regular HBO or Showtime you can order the channel online and cancel it the same day after the fight. You are only charged a prorated fee of like 3 or 4 dollars for the one day's use. The first time I did it was to catch Hatton-Tszyu. I still regret the night I decided not to do it for the Castillo-Corrales fight.

[necrobeast]

Re: how can boxing get popular again if every fight is a PPV?

Sneaky trick for anyone with Directv. I have only used this once or twice because I am too paranoid to do it more than that. If there is a big fight coming on regular HBO or Showtime you can order the channel online and cancel it the same day after the fight. You are only charged a prorated fee of like 3 or 4 dollars for the one day's use. The first time I did it was to catch Hatton-Tszyu. I still regret the night I decided not to do it for the Castillo-Corrales fight.

I think HBO and Showtime only cost an extra $15/mo on my digital cable package. I figure if I get one boxing card per month from each channel, it's mostly likely worth it...plus they show plenty of older fights, which is great since I'm trying to build a boxing video library.