Boxing Off-Topic

[pk500]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

Knock me over with a feather on the Ortiz news. The dude has been a mental train wreck for a decade.

Our justice system presumes innocence. But if Ortiz is guilty, he's a menace to society who should go to jail for a long time.

[pietasterp]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

HBO is done broadcasting boxing.

https://www.cbssports.com/boxing/news/end-of-an-era-hbo-sports-announces-pivot-away-from-boxing-coverage-starting-in-2019/

Their boxing coverage has been noticeably smaller in recent years, and I started to hear rumblings about this in the last few weeks, but still....this is pretty stunning.

Honestly, I'm not sure there' s a reason to subscribe to HBO anymore. I'm not really a fan of any of the shows other than "Silicon Valley" and they long ago ceased to have good first-run movies on any regular basis.

[SPTO]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

I'm not the biggest fan of Boxing but man, HBO being done with the Sweet Science is pretty sad no matter how you look at it. Sad for boxing as HBO was THE home of boxing for decades and sad for HBO as that once great brand has really lost a lot of it's lustre.

[JayBee74]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

Honestly, I'm not sure there' s a reason to subscribe to HBO anymore. I'm not really a fan of any of the shows other than "Silicon Valley" and they long ago ceased to have good first-run movies on any regular basis.

Yeah, I'm stunned too Pie.

The only thing I'm waiting to watch on HBO is True Detective 3 which debuts in mid-January, but this news gives me the flexibility to go to a streaming service which is a lot easier to stop and start then with cable. I wanted to watch Jacobs/Derevyanchenko but I might cancel within the next few days.

EDIT: I failed to mention with streaming HBO you could not watch boxing live.

[pk500]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

HBO is done broadcasting boxing.

https://www.cbssports.com/boxing/news/end-of-an-era-hbo-sports-announces-pivot-away-from-boxing-coverage-starting-in-2019/

Their boxing coverage has been noticeably smaller in recent years, and I started to hear rumblings about this in the last few weeks, but still....this is pretty stunning.

Honestly, I'm not sure there' s a reason to subscribe to HBO anymore. I'm not really a fan of any of the shows other than "Silicon Valley" and they long ago ceased to have good first-run movies on any regular basis.

I'm not stunned. HBO Sports has atrophied terribly over the past few years under the stewardship of Peter Nelson, who is in way over his head with this job. Showtime and ESPN have crushed HBO's boxing schedule the last two years, so HBO decided to quit instead of compete.

But this decision raises a ton of interesting questions, such as:

1. What network signs the two biggest active cash cows in boxing, Canelo and GGG? Should be a hell of a bidding war.

2. Does another network try to buy out Jim Lampley or hire him when his HBO contract expires? Would be a shame to see the GOAT wasted on HBO voiceovers or studio shows.

3. What is Golden Boy's future? It has lost its flagship TV network and could lose its only true star, Canelo. Oscar's company is on shaky ground no matter what he says.

[JayBee74]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

2. Does another network try to buy out Jim Lampley or hire him when his HBO contract expires? Would be a shame to see the GOAT wasted on HBO voiceovers or studio shows.

One precursor was when the Kovalez/Eleider Alvarez was announced along with the Krusher's switch from HBO to ESPN.

Kellerman has a high profile show on ESPN (First Take) so I don't see how he doesn't take over their main boxing analysis duties. Lampley appeared on Max's show to promote Canelo-GGG 2 and said that "he could call a million fights with Max Kellerman. It's always a pleasure."

Best I could tell Lampley has four years remaining on his HBO contract.

[pk500]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

Best I could tell Lampley has four years remaining on his HBO contract.

That's a shame. He'll rot in anonymity. I hope there's an escape clause for him to call fights on other networks if HBO dropped boxing.

[sheredia]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

HBO is done broadcasting boxing.

https://www.cbssports.com/boxing/news/end-of-an-era-hbo-sports-announces-pivot-away-from-boxing-coverage-starting-in-2019/

Their boxing coverage has been noticeably smaller in recent years, and I started to hear rumblings about this in the last few weeks, but still....this is pretty stunning.

Honestly, I'm not sure there' s a reason to subscribe to HBO anymore. I'm not really a fan of any of the shows other than "Silicon Valley" and they long ago ceased to have good first-run movies on any regular basis.

shed a tear when i heard the news.....i can't tell you how many big fights i watched with my late father (who got me started with the love of the fight game) on HBO. they were the top network for years and even had that great legendary nights series as well. lampley is a hall of fame broadcaster too, in my opinion. hope showtime gets him, he's the best in the business. looks like creed 2 will be the last movie appearance for hbo boxing as well. fitting end since it looks like it's going to be a great sequel.

[sheredia]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

That's a shame. He'll rot in anonymity. I hope there's an escape clause for him to call fights on other networks if HBO dropped boxing.

there has to be.....someone needs to snatch him up!!!

[sheredia]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

Yeah, I'm stunned too Pie.

The only thing I'm waiting to watch on HBO is True Detective 3 which debuts in mid-January, but this news gives me the flexibility to go to a streaming service which is a lot easier to stop and start then with cable. I wanted to watch Jacobs/Derevyanchenko but I might cancel within the next few days.

EDIT: I failed to mention with streaming HBO you could not watch boxing live.

to be honest, boxing was the main show i watched (and only reason i had HBO) when i used to have cable years ago....will be interesting to see how many cancel their subscriptions after this news.

[JayBee74]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

That's a shame. He'll rot in anonymity. I hope there's an escape clause for him to call fights on other networks if HBO dropped boxing.

What will he have to do at HBO, besides The Fight Game With Jim Lampley?

[sheredia]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

What will he have to do at HBO, besides The Fight Game With Jim Lampley?

exactly....i would think there would be a clause if boxing programming is terminated, that would release him from contract.

[pk500]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

exactly....i would think there would be a clause if boxing programming is terminated, that would release him from contract.

Let's hope so.

But Lampley is so smooth and borderline iconic that I could see HBO Sports sliding him into more of a Bryant Gumbel-like role, hosting a general sports show.

That would be a waste of Lamps' true passion, The Sweet Science.

[gmac0322]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

Let's hope so.

But Lampley is so smooth and borderline iconic that I could see HBO Sports sliding him into more of a Bryant Gumbel-like role, hosting a general sports show.

That would be a waste of Lamps' true passion, The Sweet Science.

I think he already said in an interview that he is staying with hbo covering sports just like you said. It will be definitely be a waste but I know that he used to cover other sports in the 80s I think. So he definitely has the experience.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[Money99]

Re: Boxing Off-Topic

XM Fight Nation was talking about this and they said when HBO started 1/3 of their subscribers watched boxing. Now it's less than 2%.
It was also said that the average viewership for a boxing show was approx 850K.
In short, the bean counters discovered that boxing cost a lot of money to produce with very little profits.
Coincidentally, the Andre The Giant documentary cost peanuts in comparison and had 7M viewers on it's premiere.
Not only that, but programming like that is recyclable and pulls in big ratings when rehashed.

Boxing is still on a lot of various platforms and the sport, when providing top bouts, such as GGG-Alvarez, is still crazy popular.

However, I can't help but feel that boxing has done this to itself.
There are WAY too many weightclasses and about 17 belts in each.

Cut back to the original 8 divisions + Cruiserweight, recognize only one belt, and the sport rebounds to be a major player in sports.
You shouldn't need an abacus to figure out who's the champion of a given weight division.
My buddies, who are all sports nuts, couldn't tell me who the Heavyweight champion is.
That's a problem.