HBO Announces Today It Will No Longer Broadcast Boxing

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by Dubblechin, Sep 27, 2018.

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  1. Dubblechin

    Dubblechin Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    HBO Says It Is Leaving the Boxing Business
    By Wallace Matthews
    NY Times
    Sept. 27, 2018

    After 45 years, more than 1,000 fights and some of the most lucrative and controversial matches of all time, HBO is throwing in the towel on professional boxing.

    What started with a monumental upset seen by a relative handful of customers — George Foreman’s knockout of the heavyweight champion Joe Frazier in 1973 — will come to a close at the end of 2018. Currently, the network has no boxing broadcasts scheduled beyond a middleweight title fight at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 27.

    Peter Nelson, the 37-year-old executive vice president of HBO Sports, made the announcement that the new network was dropping boxing Thursday morning in a meeting with the HBO Boxing production staff, a group that includes the play-by-play announcer Jim Lampley, the analyst Max Kellerman, the ringside scorer Harold Lederman and the former boxing champions Andre Ward and Roy Jones Jr., who work for HBO as freelance commentators. Of the announcing staff, only Lampley is expected to remain with HBO.

    “This is not a subjective decision,” Nelson said in a recent interview. “Our audience research informs us that boxing is no longer a determinant factor for subscribing to HBO.”
     
    Dubblechin, Sep 27, 2018
    #1
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  2. Robney

    Robney ᴻᴼ ᴸᴼᴻᴳᴲᴿ ᴲ۷ᴵᴸ Full Member

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    Many already saw this coming, but I hadn't expected the announcement coming this soon.
     
    Robney, Sep 27, 2018
    #2
    Salty Dog, rorschach51, Rock0052 and 5 others like this.
  3. Puroresu_Fan

    Puroresu_Fan Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Yet according to some DAZN isn't a good thing for the sport.
     
    Puroresu_Fan, Sep 27, 2018
    #3
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  4. Holler

    Holler Doesn't appear to be a paid matchroom PR shill Full Member

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    The staff were understandably upset until Max Kellerman took to the microphone and explained that 'the story of the sacking' was actually incredibly positive for all concerned.
     
    Holler, Sep 27, 2018
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  5. MVC!

    MVC! The Best Ever Full Member

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    Sad. End of an era.
     
    MVC!, Sep 27, 2018
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  6. kobashi

    kobashi Well-Known Member Full Member

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    So Canelo, GGG, Jacobs to go on DAZN?
     
    kobashi, Sep 27, 2018
    #6
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  7. ForemanJab

    ForemanJab Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    The writing had been on the wall for a long time.
     
    ForemanJab, Sep 27, 2018
    #7
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  8. Puroresu_Fan

    Puroresu_Fan Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    It is bad news but it was on the cards. Hbo's boxing budget was continuing to decrease.

    DAZN really need to make offers to guys who fight on HBO
     
    Puroresu_Fan, Sep 27, 2018
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  9. IntentionalButt

    IntentionalButt Guy wants to name his çock 'macho' that's ok by me

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    So that means Jacobs vs. Derevyanchenko is the last ever HBO card? :dunno

    Talk about going out with a whimper rather than a bang. :ohno Not saying that's a terrible fight or anything, but to be the note on which they bow out after 45 years?
     
    IntentionalButt, Sep 27, 2018
    #9
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  10. Badbot

    Badbot You can just do things. Full Member

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    I think Arum and ESPN will move mountains to get GGG and Canelo.
    Jacobs is definitely with DAZN.
     
    Badbot, Sep 27, 2018
    #10
  11. Bobby Tony

    Bobby Tony Active Member Full Member

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    Wow. That was quick. Bummer.
     
    Bobby Tony, Sep 27, 2018
    #11
  12. critix

    critix Boxing Addict Full Member

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    canelo is with showtime?
     
    critix, Sep 27, 2018
    #12
  13. Tomato(e) Can

    Tomato(e) Can Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao. banned Full Member

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    : (
     
    Tomato(e) Can, Sep 27, 2018
    #13
  14. Tomato(e) Can

    Tomato(e) Can Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao. banned Full Member

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    Huh. Thought it was DAZN.
     
    Tomato(e) Can, Sep 27, 2018
    #14
  15. Ph33rknot

    Ph33rknot Live as if you were to die tomorrow Full Member

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    bummer
     
    Ph33rknot, Sep 27, 2018
    #15
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