PPV was earmarked as a moneyspinner for football clubs, and was factored into financial growth plans, share prices etc in the mid 90s. The theory was that if people in numbers were willing to pay for boxing, they would be more than happy to do so for a far more high profile sport that far more people cared about. It was trialled in the late 90s, and fell on its arse. For whatever reason, people in sufficient numbers were not willing to pay to watch Sunderland-Oxford. For whatever reason, hundreds of thousands of people are willing to pay £20 to watch the boxing equivalent. They are also apparently willing to pay £20 for a ****ing pizza. Neither makes that much sense to me, but it is what it is. The emergence of Dillian Whyte as a PPV attraction may defy logic (and good taste), but that is exactly what seems to have happened in 2018. Go figure.
Well it's been happening long before 2018 - at least in essence... If PPV and Sky Box Office were a thing back in 300AD Rome, people would be buying to watch Gladiators go at it. Hell if Gladiator brutality was brought back today - and made PPV - people would buy that ****. People want to see two heavyweights smashing each other to bits. Are you not entertained? That WILL ALWAYS be a thing that sells... just like sex. You think most of the people that show up to AJ fights even follow boxing? Nah, they just like blood, guts and glory. Real Knockouts. Not a bunch of pansies kicking a ball up and down a pitch. Almost everyone has a flat screen, large telly these days. We have become a nation that just watches TV on big screen, like Americans. PPV for 20 quid is easier than the transport costs, hassle, and expensive tickets of actually attending... and you are guaranteed perfect quality stream... no hiccups.
Same old band of posters crying about the fact that Hearn is putting PPV fights on and making a demonstrable success of them. Makes you wonder, doesn't it.
The notion that any fight above British level we should all happily pay extra for is incredible. What was the best non PPV card Matchroom put on during 2018?
It's not about being happy to pay for it. In very blunt terms everyone would rather everything cost less. It's about understanding why it's this way, and the answer is because it works financially. Have you ever sold anything in your life? If so, you already know the answer. Say your car is worth five grand and a guy is desperate to buy it but only has two. What do you do? Immediately decide that you're the altruistic benefactor he's been dreaming of and sell it on the cheap? Course you don't! You sell it for the best price you can get.
It's not Sky PR is it though. It's been an established fact of being a boxing fan in Britain for more than two decades, and longer in other countries. It's like saying football fans have been hoodwinked into thinking season tickets are worth £600 or why people following certain labels are brainwashed into spending a grand on a jacket. They're not; that's just how much those things cost and it's your choice to pay or not.
Is it equally mad that a punter takes the plunge on a PPV... apparently thinks its not worth it but then purchases it again? If Hearns PPV's continue to be a success its because.people continue to buy. And Hearn knows this... if he puts on an okayish to good PPV but a better one is on the horizon... he knows people will be like 'you know what.... ill wait for that other one' Ive wasted as much time as Im ever gonna waste discussing PPV's This is my last post on this topic. Have fun chaps.
