There is some potential with Boxnation but Frank (and everyone else involved in the channel) has got to think outside the box. A terrestrial highlights show on ITV4 would be a start to showcase some of the fights on the channel. As for Lee/Saunders, it's a sensible move to merge cards if tickets weren't selling well enough in Limerick (or for whatever other reason).
Well,now that they have lost the Fury-Klit event they will have lots of time on their hands to market the s**hit out of this so-so event.
I'm a student and live at home, my Dad pays for the channel, but honestly, it's **** and I personally wouldn't. The international coverage slowly seems to be getting worse with a decent amount of PBC on Sky Sports and on PBC on ESPN going straight to BT Sport. The domestic stuff is a joke - I mean come on, the last half-decent FW card was November 2014 and that finished at 3am. So really apart from some decent, but occasional HBO and Showtime cards from the US and some PBC all you get is some re-hashed Calzaghe and Eubank fights, Bunce's Boxing Hour and Boxing Matters. Quite frankly, it's a poor showing and I don't see how the channel can carry on.
I think that losing the Fury v Klit fight may be the last nail in the coffin.It was a good idea for boxing fans but with a very limited fan base.Full credit to FW for trying but in the end-who knows?
The card if it went ahead in Ireland would have been dogshhit.. Now we get a big show in the Uk..Its not on terrys' undercard it will top the bill not that it matters as it will be a sell out.
Good points but do you really think this show will bomb? Saunders - Eubank did 18k plus all the travellers who smashed their way in...in reality Fury- Chisora did little to aid the numbers. Flannigan will move tickets especially as he is rumoured to be in a big fight, Mathews is supposed to be fighting Barroso and he will also shift tickets as will Liam Smith who looks like getting a shot at the vacant WBO now that Andrade has been stripped. As for BN as long as Frank is being financed by his millionaire mates in Ives and the crazy Russian he will be fine..FW always has a plan.
The sad thing is - there aren't many hardcore boxing fans out there, and the ones that are out there tend to dislike paying for things (which is fair enough because being a boxing fan is very expensive - tv subscriptions to numerous channels, PPVs, tickets, hotels, flights etc...) so that really limits BN's subscription I think. But the major issue is Frank can't get the casual in - he can't promote like Hearn, this may be largely because Hearn has Sky, and Sky Sports News to push his cards etc... But in general it just seems like Hearn is much more casual friendly - I mean this guy sold 15,000 for Campbell v Coyle, but ****** could only do what 3,000 [allegedly] for Lee v Saunders - a great fight, two Southpaws and the WBO title on the line?
Booth was lead promoter for Thomand Park not FW. He didn't even want the fight over there but Lee and Booth thought they had the fan base for a homecoming but sadly they where wrong. Now that Frrank has got the fight back in the UK it will get the promotion it needs and will be a much more anticipated fight. Saunders - Eubank did 18k and reached the mainstream so for big/high profile fights FW can still get the job done on little BN.
I dunno. It might be partly to do with how Andys career has panned out. Carl Frampton sold 16000 tickets no problem in Belfast. I think Andy lacks the same terrestrial exposure and as has been pointed out, he's boxed a lot in America.
:deal :thumbsup Ive been making this very point too: To be fair to Irish fans Andy has a very low profile here. He is approx 30 yrs old. He lived the first 15 in London - moved here for about 5 years from 15-20 then was off to Detroit with Manny, from age 20-28 approx. When Manny died he linked up with Both - in London. He is not that well-known in Ireland at all. On top of that Andy is a quiet low-key, modest guy, unlikely to whip up much publicity for himsef, unlikely to appeal to the lowest-common-denominator, like say Conor McGregor..... Basically a combination of many factors have conspired to ensure that Andy just isnt a huge star in Eire. He just isnt.