Jonathan Miller, head of NBC Sports, has asked the Association of Boxing Commissions to increase the time between rounds an additional seven seconds to allow a full minute for commercials and still have a few seconds to replay highlights of the previous round. Miller wrote: NBC has a major concern with the rigid timing between rounds set forth by the Boxing Commissions in each state. We feel strongly this mandate negatively impacts the quality of television production. The Fight Night Series will simply not survive without advertising support and allowing us to be storytellers. We must run two, thirty second commercial units between each round. The inability to come back from a one minute commercial break without any additional time to show highlight(s) from the previous round and set up the next round is a disservice to the boxing viewer and most importantly the athletes who are giving their all in the ring. For this reason, the NBC Sports Group is officially requesting an increase from sixty seconds between each round to sixty seven seconds to allow us to better serve our audience and improve the quality of our shows. This change will make the sport more broadcast friendly and substantially increase a boxers ability to make a living on a platform other than the pay channels of HBO, Showtime & PPV. The NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL all have adapted to this broadcast friendly model and with their network partners customized mutually beneficial television timings. This timing change will not negatively impact the integrity of competition but only enhance the content in building stars and elevating the great sport of boxing. We ask that you give this timing request every possible consideration. :think
**** you, NBC Sports. Show ONE 30-second commercial, and then have ample remianing time to show round highlights as well as listen-ins on the corners during stool time. Or tell your advertisers to make it snappy, and put out 20-second spots so that the two commercials only take up a combined 40.
****ing greedy ****s. "We MUST run two commercials per round break! :|" Where the **** do they get off? :roll: Which of those other sports, what other sport in the ****ing world, lets them take a dozen commercial breaks in half an hour, one every three ****ing minutes? (on average - this is not the time or place for some wiseass to bring up the frequency of whistles in the NBA :yep) And then between fights they have as much time as they ****ing want, barring however much downtime they want to leave over for their talking heads. You don't hear ESPN2 or any of the other non-premium cable channels (ie not HBO or Showtime, who don't have to worry about commercials) showing boxing complaining about the 60 second format, do you? They do fine with it.
This just shows how weak NBC are in negotiations. I would sell the 53 seconds for the 1 minute value , take it or leave it.
And here's where I disagree with the crowd. TV revenue and exposure are the driving forces in sports today. Boxing needs NBC more than the reverse. It is 7 seconds, it won't ruin the integrity of the sport, and it means more fights on television. Agreed, this is a slippery slope (what if they ask for 2 minutes?) but for now, I take this deal.
Is this real?!? Are they serious? I'm all for boxing becoming more mainstream popular, but not at the expense of changing rules.. Show one commercial then go to highlights and corner talk between rounds.. ****ers.
The reason FNF doesn't do it is because there is no middle class in boxing. Seems like fighters are either making 10-30k a fight or making upwards of a million. NBC sports is creating a median. An extra 67 seconds isn't much compared to no boxing on general t.v.
Networks were the reason why 15 round title fights were reduced to twelve thirty years ago. Gave them more time for advertising. But even then, they were able to fit two ad spots in just fine within the parameters of a 60 second rest period. Jeff said it's a slippery slope. I personally wouldn't want to see promoters embark on that downhill journey, because inevitably it will end up with the sport falling flat on its ass yet again.