ITV confirm no boxing in 2010 - "Boxing is not not economically sustainable"

Yeah but, if they started by showing some repeats or something and build up the fan base, it could definatly happen, come on, we all know F1 is crap yet we all watch it.

 

carnage is right, people will watch anything thats sold to them right, its all about the marketing of it, the stinker that was audley vs Danny got something like 10 million viewers, why? because the casual were sold it, they plugged and advertised it on coronation street breaks and all sorts. and made it a big event.

 

I recently worked with a production company recording a non televised boxing event in Newport South Wales (you can guess who).

The whole event was filmed with 3 cameras (+ one extra mini cam to capture a certain colourful trainer in action between rounds). The pictures were "vision mixed" and streamed live to plasma screens dotted around the areana.

Commentary was done for nothing by three guys willing to help out and they did a pretty good job.

After the event, a DVD was produced. The result was a pretty successful couple of hours entertainment with acceptable production values.

The cost for this was well under £10k (Closer to £5K). Unfortunately that was considered too much and no thought was put into the promotion and distribution of the DVD or its content. Therefore boxing fans and people who might have wanted to see the fights after the event have missed out...again.

 

I'd just like to say - Darts is ****. Worse then MMA.

 

Are people seriously not allowed to drink when watching boxing?
Its all about ****ing promotion!!!

Big crowds, great atmospheres add to the fight! If David Haye for example beat Valueve on prime time ITV he would be absolutely huge over night.. endorsements etc etc plus a much bigger gate for his next fight.

But boxers and promoters take the easy option and **** over the sport! Why do we get the shitty southern area cards and miss out on Froch???????

The guy is fighting in England with no tv deal! What i dont understand is that boxing got really good ratings for the Pascal and Khan vs bums fight and then they drop boxing!!!! If they got a few adverts going saying about the super six. some newspaper coverage, get carl froch on breakfast on the bbc or gmtv or joe calzaghe mentioning it on strictly you could get some ****ing hype going! Whats wrong with these people? atsch

 

No Boxing on tv is due to the current financial climate and the promoters not adapting to it. Boxings reputation needs to be rebuilt on terrestial tv, a new start shall we say.
New ways of presenting shows and marketing the boxers themselves are needed. But to even get on tv again the promoters need to lower their demands and realise that the boxers they control are not david beckhams but more like a chris hoy or philips idowu level of fame. Only repeated world level success should see PPV and big tv money demands for fights. Not fighting tomatoe cans, shot legends, fighting for worthless new IBO WBO and IBF Belts. Khan anyone??

It's all great lobbying tv and going off at them. But the promoters are the problem.
Us who appreciate boxing acknowledge boxers should be paid as much as prem footballers for the demands they put their body through, the punishment they take, their incredible physical condition and most of all the sheer entertainment that a big fight can deliver which i feel is second to none when it comes to sport.

But to the general public boxers don't deserve it. Its a shame but thats the way it is.
Promoters need to realise this.
They arn't managers of film stars, they are managers of working class people who have strived to get where, beginning from the very bottom with only sheer determination and guts. People need to relate to that fact that they came from the same place as the very people who watch the shows.

The promoters demands need to reflect this. Boxing needs to get off its pedestal and realise it has been knocked down a couple of steps of the popularity heirachy.

Prime example being Hennessey, he has ****ed froch up completely. He should be mainstream by now. Easily.
Take one for the team now mick and it'll help you and your fighters in the future.
Maybe he doesnt believe in Carl and is looking to get paid as much as possible for any super six fights before he is destroyed by an Abraham or Kessler??

Boxing needs to lower it's financial demands and the promoters need to realise this or it will be in the doldrums for a long time coming.

 

Carl Froch for one is not David Haye. Froch does nothing on tv apart from the occasional interview! And to be honest his personality does not scream potential superstar.

NOBODY other than the hardcore will watch his fight with Dirrell and a victory for him does nothing for british boxing, although im sure it will up Mick ****ing Henneseys bank balance.

I bet you ITV will end up doing the fight the next day if Carl wins though.

 

Purses are tightening, Sky almost lost the NFL, La Liga this year.

 

Here we go...

for the week ending 6th September on itv4, O'Donnell v Glover got 330,000 viewers, the channel's 10th highest for the week. This was behind the Death Wish films, Cops with Cameras, Ultimate Force and some Freddie Mercury thing.

for the week ending 19th July on itv4, McIntosh v Cleverly got 406,000 viewers, the channel's 8th highest for the week. Behind Rambo 2 and the Tour de France.

for the week ending 14th June on itv4, Murray v Lawton got 231,000 viewers, the channel's 10th highest for the week. Behind a few films and the Isle of Man TT.

Barker v McDermott (w/e 24th May) 204,000 10th highest that week behind the UEFA Cup final and films

Watson v O'Donnell (w/e 12th April) 260,000 10th highest that week behind films and Football

Elcock v Macklin (w/e 15th March) didn't make the top 10 that week, but top 10 filled with Football and films

Thaxton v Mezache (w/e 1st March) 369,000 7th highest that week behind films and Football

Murray v McAllister 9w/e 18th January) 405,000 2nd highest that week.
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Sheet that was hard work, you lot had best be grateful, and that info comes courtesy of the wonderful BARB.

Basically from that we can gather that the Boxing on itv4 does get decent ratings, but that "10 times the average" quote is probably utter bull****. The audience figure varies considerably, and it doesn't seem to be dependent on who is fighting. Boxing tends to be beaten in the ratings only by films and Football (usually)

Now from itv4's point of view, films cost pittance in relation to what Boxing costs. With it getting higher ratings, and in turn higher advertising, it would make more sense to show a film on a Saturday night than Boxing.

Football is obvious, it is the only sport itv have ploughed a lot of money in to, and they would expect the ratings it gets.

The rest of these cop shows and stuff which occasionally beats Boxing in the ratings, and cheapo old stuff like The Sweeney etc are obviously much cheaper than Boxing, and while they may not produce the ratings, the costs involved are ridiculously lower. No need to pay money for Hennessy, no need to set up an outside broadcast, no need to pay Rosenthal and co., no need to pay the behind the scenes stuff.

Boxing isn't that expensive of a sport to show in these times, particularly as promoters are so desperate to get on TV. However, when compared with the "cheap tat" that gets similar ratings figures, it doesn't take a genius to work out what will be shown.

Thanks you, and goodnight:nut

 

If the Taylor fight was shown live on TV or repeated in a prime-time TV slot then I'm sure he would have received more credit and had a chance for SPOTY. Anyway, I think all boxers shouldn't even bother attending that show because the BBC treat Boxing like dirt.

 

Of course, my previous post makes no excuse for why the BBC can't show Boxing.:good

 

You think BBC sport doesn't have cost/viewers pressures?

 

Taylor/Froch was repeated at primetime.

 

Yes but theres no certanty is there. Which promoter do you sign with?

You can tcontrol the fights, you might not get a big fight all year, its all up to the promoters.
If you were dealing with one body, there is a set of fights you could obtain.