Before PPV you used to have to go to the movies to catch closed circuit fights like Muhammed Ali. I can't imagine everyone paid for a 50 dollar ticket. So how the fuck did PPV's get to the point where they cost this much? Did they start out low and slowly just keep raising the price? If so what were some of those first prices like? I think it's just ridiculous how much they charge for this shit.
Because people are willing to pay that amount to watch fights. In the future the price will rise and people will pay that too.
I have a couple closed circuit ticket stubs. One for Ali vs. Ken Norton in 1973 the price is $7.00 Ali vs. Frazier "The Thrilla In Manila" 1975 is $15.00 Also found looking online: Ali vs. Bonavena 1970 $5.00 Ali vs. Patterson 1965 $5.00 Foreman vs. Ali 1975 $20.00 Ali vs. Spinks II Closed Circuit in Manchester, England. Prices ranging between 5 and 10 pounds, depending on the seat location.
You can probably trace a lot of it back to TVKO, the precursor to HBO PPV, which began with Holyfield-Foreman, at a price I believe was $35. They also started doing monthly shows for around $20, but those didn't last. The price and regularity of ppv shows just went to go up from there. Every once in a while there'd be a jump in the prices, one being in June of '02 when Lewis-Tyson came with a tag of $55 and then two weeks later Barrera-Morales II had one of $40 (if I remember it correctly).
I dunno. In the past I watched all the fights, even the big ones, on free tv. Only a few were on Closed Circuit, but I never paid for those since, like now on HBO, you'll get the repeat the following week on free tv. The very first PPV fight I ever pay for was DeLa Hoya vs Trinidad and it was already $50.
Well, not only has inflation contributed to the rising cost of PPV, but also that while Closed Circuit was sold as individual tickets, PPV is sold per household, which means that per purchase, several people can watch the fight. Say on average there's four people in a household that buys PPV, the "tickets" are actually $50/4 = $12.50. It's not so bad when you look at it this way. And even in the case of 3 people, it's still only, $50/3 = $16.67 per "ticket." So while I think it's a rip-off when you're already paying HBO a monthly fee and then have to pay additional money to see their PPV shows, it's roughly the same rip-off it's always been. The only thing that I do think is worse now than it was in the past is the quality of the cards. I think we're in a position now of paying slightly more money for what amounts to a much less valuable product. And so in that sense, PPV's become a huge rip-off.
But I think you have to factor in other things, like the frequence/regularity of closed circuit versus pay per view, the quality of the main events and overall cards, and as you already mention, that you're already 'paying' to view fights on HBO and SHO and replays are only of the main event (although SHO used to replay more than just main event). SHO has basically eliminated ppv's, HBO has scaled theirs back, and promoters have as well, and appear to be making a genuine attempt to put together better overall cards....but the reasons for that are obvious. Mayweather-Marquez probably wouldn't have Katsidis-Escobedo, John-Juarez, etc., if the people involved were sure the main event could draw and sell itself...Mayweather reportedly took less money to fill out the card, which I'm assuming is at least in part an attempt to try to get the numbers up for when it comes time to negotiate with Pacquiao he can make at least make the argument that he did better numbers against DLH, Hatton and Marquez than Pacquiao did (which I expect will be part of his rhetoric).
Yep! It's by popular demand of course. The people just move to it like sheep to slaughter. When the ecom hit a low the big wigs like DKP and G, Top Rank pumped there brakes a lil. Shortly after that back to bussiness as usual, because the fans allow it. PPV made it's biggest killing doing the raise of Iron Mike. People would pay what ever to see him run through a guty in 50 seconds. A dollar/sec. Crazy!:nono:
yeah. the frequency of the events is also relevant. the quality of the events i did address though. and just as you suggested, i agree we're paying more money, more often, for less. mainly, i was just making the point that PPV, with everything else held equal, "should" cost more than a closed circuit ticket since it accommodates more people. but i agree that all else is not equal.
Yep. It's no different from hamburgers to movies. If they figure they can charge more and get it they will.
Have the fans really allowed it, though? If you take out de la Hoya's numbers in recent years (against Mayorga, Mayweather, Pacquiao), the numbers are almost all down in the US. The rising cost and decling quality has caused a lot of fans to change their spending habits...and HBO and the promoters are only now changing theirs, as the sport has lost it's biggest cash cow (De La Hoya). It's been a regular tragedy of the commons in boxing.
