Showtime starting to catch up with HBO

I don't mind Al. As long as I don't have to listen to Max Kellerman or Wally Matthews, I'm good.

 

Showtime needs to get rid of Gus, pay Brian Kenny big money, get him as your commentator. Pay some good HD cameras, get some good make up artists. Make the onscreen personalities wear tailored suits that don't look like they are off the discount rack. Pay a nice production company so that your promos, logos, on screen displays, and etc. look elite and high class.

 

Brian is pretty firmly entrenched with ESPN. He isn't just their FNF studio guy. He also anchors SportsCenter, does classic fight intros/analysis on Ringside with Bert Sugar, some baseball ****, and has an ESPN radio show.

 

Yeah Brian Kenny has a lot going on with ESPN.

If Showtime does anything, they need to get rid of Nick Charles.

 

I think HBO still puts on a better show than Showtime, but since the announcement of the Super Middleweight Tournament, I'm subscribing to Showtime only for their boxing so they must be doing something right.

 

I'd say that HBO does better overall...but if the budgets were equal, I get the feeling that Showtime would put on a much much better show.

 

I bet you Kenny would jump at the chance to be the voice of boxing for a emerging Showtime who wants to go against HBO. Kenny loves boxing and I have no doubt he would jump at the offer, especially if the money is right.

 

Chances are ESPN will always pay more than Showtime would. Showtime strikes me as the sort of place not willing to really go out of budget for a commentator.

 

I agree that is why they will always be behind HBO, they do not want to spend money on boxing, but like someone said before, their MMA coverage and production is the best in the biz. It is ****ing crazy.

 

To be fair if I remember correctly, Strikeforce (and before EliteXC) was more willing to pitch in when it came to the production costs. I doubt boxing promoters are that willing.

I believe that Showtime's boxing budget is either 1/5th or 1/4th of the budget that HBO has. That's pretty amazing when ya think about it. I also think that Showtime doesn't necessarily treat it's boxing right. HBO uses it's boxing almost as a showcase. Occasionally they'll plug Costas now or something, essentially taking up a whole 15 seconds. It makes me laugh when Showtime completely KILLS the flow of the action by showing a 2 minute preview of the Tudors or Californiacation inbetween their fights. Sillyness.

 

they all pale in comparison to Merchant. :deal

 

If Showtime has a legit head of operations, he would see now is the time to make a huge push on the boxing arena to challenge HBO. The president needs to double their budget and get their production values up and bring in real talent. I mean I bet you money Inside the NFL has a higher budget, including production costs and talent fees than their best boxing lineups and that is ****ing pathetic.

 

Pretty much. I think Showtime execs have the RIGHT idea but just the execution leaves so much to be desired.

 

Again, he seems to have a real passion for boxing, but it isn't the only sport he covers or the only thing ESPN pays him for his insight on. I'm sure he's got a fairly substantial contract (in both length and salary) at this point. Even if Showtime offered him a position as their top personality and was able to match the money he's making now, right now he just has way too much job security thanks to his diversified chores. Putting all his eggs in one basket to fill a fairly high-turnover broadcast seat may not seem prudent.

 

Right and there's the odd chance he'd have to work with Nick "Would you like some candy?" Charles.

That's way too risky.