With MMA now on network TV....

With MMA now on network TV, is there anything boxing can do to get on network TV?

If I remember correctly, the last prime time boxing event (other then celebrity boxing) on network TV was Tyson\Mathis Jr on Fox. There used to be Boxing on Saturday Afternoons all the time. But the major networks lost interest in boxing long ago.

With the success of EliteXC on CBS, do you think anyone in boxing will try and strike while the iron is hot? Even though it wasn't a good matchup, imagine the numbers De La Hoya\Forbes would've done on network TV? If Kimbo can draw over 6 Million viewers, I'm sure ODH could've drawn several times that.

TFK

 

The last fights I remember seeing on network tv were Trinidad-Reid and Johnston-Castillo I on NBC or CBS, I can't remember which network, it may even be another one. It was great. I really hope boxing will go back on network tv but I seriously doubt it.

 

Felix Trinidad and David Reid was on network tv?

It must've been during the time CBS was rebroadcasting Showtime fights. That lasted for a little while.

 

I think it was. I may be wrong though.

 

I believe CBS rebroadcasted the fights of Tyson-Savarese, Holyfield-Ruiz, Tua-Sullivan and Golota-Norris in 2000.

I don't remember Trinidad-Reid, but I watched it live so I wasn't really looking for the replay.

 

I would bundle a boxing and MMA match on the same evening. First Hour Boxing and Second MMA. Gary Shaw has the ability to do that.

C

 

That's what Artie Pellulo is doing on a FNF card coming up in a few weeks (joining both).

 

It's smart. It's a perfect marriage and what it really does is help boxing. If they can work them together I think they can co-exist nicely. For promoters it means more $$$

 

Especially if the MMA brings in the crowd and they're paying them half as much.

 

What the promoters should really do is put on the most boring MMA fighters and fighters that like to go to the ground and then when boxing comes on, it will make the worst fight look like Corrales/Castillo.

 

Baron is wrong, Reid-Trinida was PPV, I remember paying for it, their was a couple of boxing fights on network tv not too long ago, Cintron and Juarez were on a couple of time

 

Wasn't that NBC? I think Juan Diaz was on there also. I'm sad to say boxing can't compete with MMA for individual fighter recognition as a whole. Only our top level fighters are household names.

 

And Bojado. Basically all the Main Events prospects at the time. It was on NBC, and Telemundo used to have the undercards that would lead into the NBC shows.

 

I probably saw a replay on network tv. Jonhston Castillo was live during the afternoon though.

 

It would definately increase bozing's popularity, like it used to be. Maybe not to the same extent, but the increased exposure woud only benefit the sport. Its done wonders for MMA, especially with Spike (and now CBS).

 

Yeah. There's occasional rumors like Klitschko-Brock and a Tarver fight a little while back, but nothing ever seems to come of it.

Still, it's easier for Elite XC to do it because their fighters aren't making the same money as high level boxers are and E XC's pay per views aren't bringing in huge numbers and they're not passing HBO dollars in order to fight on network tv.

 

The path to new viewers is not network tv, it's undercards on can't-miss ppv shows that create new stars. That's why dlh fucked us so badly with his shit undercard against Floyd.
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It's what made Christy Martin (and women's boxing).
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It may be what makes Gina Carano. But there might not be enough female mma talent to get over that hump.
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Network tv is sort of a false prophet, especially for boxing. I'd guess it might have some potential for mma, but probably not too much. What gives mma it's best chance isn't the medium, it's having corn-fed white guys that do well in it, along with the rest of the usa melting pot.

 

Calvin Brock v Terry Smith is the last boxing card I can remember (off the top of my head) that featured live on US network TV.

 

I'm pretty sure this one was on FNF

 

I remember watching Trinidad-Reid on Showtime PPV

 

Though Terry Smith is Featured PROMINENTLY on FNF, his Bout w/Brock was on the Brief NBC Fight Series which Showcased Bojado, Juan Diaz, Cintron & Juarez...



REED:hammert:

 

this is correct. Main Events had a deal with NBC/Telemundo/Telefutura which lasted two years - though in reality, it was two separate five-card seasons.

to answer an earlier question, Trinidad-Reid was Showtime PPV, and I don't recall it being re-broadcast on network TV. The heavyweight fights Mitchell Kane listed are the only ones I recall.

 

Arum said he was trying to get Pavlik on Network tv. Either he never tried or wasn't successful.

Shaw got MMA on CBS and obviously has alot of power at Showtime. Shaw either hasn't tried to get boxing on network tv or they don't want the sport on there.

 

But here's my question: is 6.5 million viewers (according to Viacom's most recent press release) really a number that can convince CBS to take on boxing telecasts? It's a good number, and an improvement over the normal CBS Saturday night rating for that timeslot. But it's also in conjunction with the cost for the event.

The real question is, can boxing, should it seek a similar role, get by on a similar budget? Your comparison would basically have Oscar fighting for a career-low purse - either that or forcing the networks to invest heavily in hopes of a ratings giant.

 

that's my guess. either that, or they don't want it at the anticapted cost. if boxing can find a way to get shit done at a fraction of the budget offered by HBO and even Showtime, then a move to network TV wouldn't be so farfetched.

 

Yeah, it's hard to find boxers that fit in the categories of being cheap enough to put on network tv while still good enough and big enough of a name to attract an audience...as well as being good to watch and able to entertain, because you wouldn't put John Ruiz on network television.

Prospects are one area to look, but the Main Events fights came in the afternoon (and were basically Shobox cards). Boxing fans aren't going to be that enthused about those fights...not like MMA fans, many of whom are still in the "I'll watch anything and everything that's MMA" stage of their fandom.

I do wonder how well the Main Events shows could draw in a similar time slot to Elite XC, though. It was tried on Fox, though having Oliver McCall and James Stanton on the same night as Gatti-Rodriguez isn't exactly a ratings winner.

The lower weights would be a place to look at (Vazquez-Marquez IV, Gary? ray: ::), because they're usually the cheapest while also entertaining...but few can attract much attention in the US.

One option would be combining a good lower weight fight (that could attract hardcore fans) with a bigger name fighter in the main event that could attract some mainstream/general sports ans...even if it's a real soft-touch (which it would probably have to be to get the purses even close).

I'm guessing to get a big name on network tv it would have to be someone who fights often and it would have to be a real mismatch...or at least a fight without much doubt about the result. Like Klitschko-Brock or the Tarver fight.

Maybe they could go back to the exhibition days and have some four-round special attractions featuring stars and have real fights underneath. ::

BTW, I wonder what effect the show going over had on the ratings (and whether they'd really be that high if they stayed in the two hour time slot)...furthermore, I wonder if that show intentionally went over the alotted time, beause it was way over the time and the ratings went way up during that time.

Fans will just say, that's because it was buidilng to the main event, but I'm sure there were viewers tuning in expecting it to be over and just staying on the channel. Will those viewers be back next time if stays at a two hour broadcast?

 

As much shit as I give them, Golden Boy would be the sport's best chance at getting boxing back on the networks. Never mind their stable, they bring in the most sponsorship, which is the key to lasting on any network. None give a fuck about the content, just whether or not sponsors are willing to sign on long term.

That would be the key to eventually getting a super fight on free-TV. They could treat it like an NFL season - lesser-known fighters performing during the "regular" season at one set price for sponsors, with boxing's version of a Super Bowl coming at ten times the rate.

The first card would probably have to be a deal where a network (say ABC, since they were willing to try it with Tarver last year) offers the time slot free of charge. Doesn't offer a license fee, but also allows the promoter to keep all ad space revenue, just for the sake of establishing a starting point.

From there, they figure out a budget, and what level of fighters they can attract. The formula you (Mitchell) suggested works the best, and even better depending upon how little the marquee fighter is willing to settle for up front.

 

I agree with you about Golden Boy being the best option, because he's a brand name and he brings in sponsors...and he has a stable of fighters.

If Arum tried it, though, I bet could do something with Chavez Jr.

Junior is active and always brought huge ratings to Telefutura when he fought on that channel. I bet Arum could make a brand name out him...and it would give him a much greater audience than he gets on pay per view...and it would bring exposure to Arum's other fighters and it would give him television dates that could help him compete with Golden Boy.

Maybe have Pavlik main event the first card against a punching bag, with Junior on the undercard. If that does good ratings, then have Junior main event the next card.

 

Pavlik-Rubio and JCCJr-TBA is already on tap for a potential September date. Something to bring up at the post-fight press conference this weekend, I suppose :stir:

 

Rubio should fit the punching bag role nicely. ::

I'd love to see it. It wouldn't be a bad idea for Arum, either, given that there's an Olympic class this year and Golden Boy would figure to be his main competition for a lot of them.