The BBC's proposed list for protected free-to-air sporting events

Yep, crazy to think some of the fights you could catch live on a Wednesday night on Sportsnight (if you were willing to sit though a bit of showjumping and gymnastics).

The think was as well, the next morning in school everyone had seen the same fight and wanted to talk about it.

 

I dont think the BBC helped bopxing when they constantly showed Roman Greenberg labouring to a aboring decision win while telling everyone who would listen that he is the future of 'British heavyweight world champ'. Thing is when they did get a British champion in Clinton Woods, they dropped it.

Id be ok with delayed coverage of fights whether they be UK or bigger US shows.

 

To be honest Boxing is behind all the sports mentioned but it still would be nice if they showed replays of world title fights that Brits appear in.

 

Yes, delayed coverage of big fights with Brits shouldn't be too costly. I don't see why not?

 

When you look at the criteria for inclusion thats hardly a suprise.

Boxing is a fragmented, sporadically organised sport. There is no event that you can define that has any right to a place on these lists.

 

That's the problem with Boxing (boxers and those of influence in the sport) - they're all short-sighted and eager to chase the money. Fools.

The only way for the sport to flourish is for it to reach critical mass and growth with new fans each year. This will only happen through a mass media outlet such as terrestrial.

Boxers need to think long-term and stop chasing the money so early on. Most sports people make money through sponsorship deals as a result of being put in the limelight through national TV...and then finally go on to earn the big bucks when they reach the top of the sport (Tiger Woods - Nike, Lewis Hamilton - Santander, Amir Khan - Reebok, David Beckham - Armani, Andy Murray - Fred Perry, blah blah blah).

Utter fools. Pisses me off when I read that fans like those on ESB are trying so hard to keep boxing alive but then people like Bunce refuse to do what is good for the sport long-term in preference for short-term pay per view cash.

 

Most boxers don't have the luxury of thinking long term, its short career, when they've fought their way to the top they've usually only got a few years earning top money and one defeat at any time can really affect their future income.

Also boxing is always going struggle to attract the same sponsorship deals as golf, F2 and tennis, its image isn't always what the companies are after.

 

Can anyone actually come up with an argument that Junior Witter fighting Devon Alexander (to take the next upcoming example) will be an event that unites the nation and is not solely of interest to boxing fans?

 

You'd have had a lot better chance of fullfilling those criteria back in the days when there were only 8 weight classes and 1 champ in each division. Even then its debatable....

Either way you can't expect Sky to build up fighters only for the Beeb to come along when they are ready for a title fight and say "We'll have that!" or for HBO and Showtime to hand over world title fights for free when the Beeb hasn't given a **** about their cards for the last 20 odd years.

The Beeb (and ITV) need to get behind the boxers and build them up themselves, thats how Bruno, Benn etc got so popular....by fighting on terrestrial TV in front of 10 million vewiers.

 

Witter is a niche boxer in a niche sport - so no, I don't think it would be able to 'unite the Nation' :yep

 

A taped delay could work. The BBC did it with Calzaghe why can't they do it for others. Im sick and tired of the BBC. British boxing was one of the most succesful sports in the olympics but they've decided it doesn't deserve to be on national television. Its crap that what I say. But there must be something we as fans can do about it

 

That's a fantastic assessment there, Gaz:good.

 

As much as it pains me to say it, perhaps there is a need to look at the German model for boxing, which seems to of found a way of getting over that problem.

That said, a bit of White collar money is fine, but boxing is always at its best when the blue collar is on side. Which is probably why, the Germanization of some of boxing, does not appeal to me.

 

The bottom line is boxing doesnt help itself.

Seeing as its a complete mess with its various **** belts etc, what the hell kind of sports right can you negotiate if there is no governing body.

 

This is a red herring. Boxing needs to be coherent in its sales tactic to terrestrial TV especially after what Faudley did to the BBC.

I sincerely hope that the BBC can once again give the greatest sport, aside of F1 some coverage on their channel. Highlights of all of the major fights would be a great biscuit.

I know the BBC can afford it and can do it, and they know it brings in higher ratings, and I know the will is there. Its just whether Mr x has the balls to tell Mr Y how it is.

The Froch fight prime time for instance was a big miss for them, as this would have brought in 10 million plus, what they showed was only 5 million instead.

BBC needs to think audience and viewer level.