HBOMAX

Good question. Maybe since they don't cover boxing anymore they've decided to "move on" or something stupid? Also because they don't cover the sport it's simply not even a subject that's considered?

Another possibility is that there's still some weird legal bullshit that they don't technically own the full rights to all of the fights they've broadcasted. In other words they can't just simply start offering up their archives at will as they'd have to pay out multiple parties (promoters/fighters/managers etc.) so it's not worth the hassle.

 

I mean, about 95% of all HBO telecasts in history are on YouTube anyway.

 

I would venture to say its A. In fact, I would bet my house that its A.

I'm pretty sure they own copyrights over any fight they've ever televised and could stream them if they please. Boxing is just completely past them.

You gotta understand the ownership structure of HBO. They're not an independent company. They're ultimately owned by AT&T - technically owned by Discovery, though the merger won't go through until next year.

As of right now the top guy calling the shots at HBO is Jason Killar, the CEO of Warner Media. And if you've ever seen an interview with that guy, you'd know that he's a content guy, not a sports guy.

With Discovery now owning them, there's even less a chance they'll ever get back into boxing.

These guys are all in a war trying to beat Netflix - cause Netflix is eating the lunch of every streaming platform. Investing in a niche sport like boxing isn't gonna beat Netflix.

Thats why they left the sport, and I know REED disagrees and thinks its about Al Haymon, but I can't see that. Al Haymon is small potatoes in the grand scheme of things, and as boxing fans we tend to have an overinflated view of how much power guys in our sport have. Al Haymon had zero bearing over HBO deciding to leave boxing. They left boxing because Netflix is destroying them, and boxing isn't a big enough sport to move the needle for them. Content is king..our sport, unfortunately, is small potatoes.

But I'm almost 100% sure they COULD stream all their fights if they chose to. Its not like lawyers at Top Rank or Golden Boy could compete with the lawyers of one of the world's biggest media conglomerates.

 

That's kind of what i'm thinking as well. Some staffer says the word "boxing" and the execs change the subject like it's a drunk uncle trying to bring up politics at the dinner table.

I don't believe the legal side is insignificant though. I don't think they want to dig up every pre-fight contract from decades ago to see if there would be any snag before airing it.

 

If boxing was as mainstream in the North America as the NFL and NBA, they would dig up every fight. Like I said, this is a media conglomerate.

Bob Arum and Don King are basically nobodies in the eyes of a conglomerate. They're not scared. They just don't care, because boxing doesn't move the needle.

I dont think boxing moved the needle for them much since the 90s. In the 90s, boxing was a huge part of HBO, because it was something they owned. Everything else was just them licensing movies to show.

The Sopranos changed all that. The Sopranos were the first original series that really MADE HBO into a giant, and from then on I think boxing took a backseat to original content.

 

too bad. would love to have pristine broadcasts of 70s, 80s, 90s and even 2000s broadcasts at my fingertips. most of them are on youtube but with varying quality.

 

There is a good news to HBO not caring. It means you can upload their fights to YT, and they don't give a shit. I dont think any fights get pulled from YouTube due to HBO copyright infringement. If that were the case, then their fights wouldn't be on YouTube. They would be filing complaints to YouTube - but they obviously dont.

So it's actually a good thing for us, in that respect, that they don't care anymore.

Will that change under Discovery's ownership? Shit, I hope not. I hope they keep looking the other way.

 

Sure. If HBO knew announcing they would have their entire boxing archive available and it would instantly get them millions of subscribers they would worry about any potential legal issues later. What i'm saying is if there is no concern whatsoever it would be more likely to happen.

 

True, I agree.

The moral of this story is: Our sport is small potatoes.

And someone might say, why does Showtime keep boxing? Well, I think Showtime's aspirations are lower than HBO's.

This goes back to The Sopranos, and how HBO had an almost 15-year run as the kings of original content.

Netflix came along and changed that. HBO shit their pants and said, "Wtffff are we gonna do to compete against these guys???"

Then someone must have said, "We go all in on content, and we drop this stagnated sport we still cover."

 

Going back ages and ages ago but before youtube and torrents i remember having TSN Classic (Canadian version of ESPN)

The day after Christmas here is a holiday called "Boxing Day". Has nothing to do with the sport, but i suppose because of it being so named they showed a series of classic fights all day. It was great and although i knew it would be only for the day i had hope the network would feature classics if even in short time slots. Sadly no. Do you want to see the same 4-5 fights repeated over and over? Well you're in luck my friend because that's exactly what they did.

Extremely disappointing. Imagine all the usual reruns you see in syndication on local TV. Now think of any random classic program and picture somehow they only had the rights to 5 episodes out of hundreds.

 

ESPN does that same shit. They still have Classic Fight day like once a year, and the only four fights they show are: Ali-Frazier III, Ali-Foreman, Tyson-Spinks, and Holy-Foreman.

 

For what it's worth, I think HBO Max is awesome. For one, because if you're an HBO sub, like me, it's no additional change. But having access to HBO's full library of series and documentaries are great, because HBO really has produced some great originals and great docs over the years.

 

why doesnt HBO Max have the show "Dream On" in its archives?

 

I had never heard of it until just now. Had to Google it.

I honestly don't know why. Seems they ever other show they've ever produced is on there.

Doesn't mean it'll never make it on there. They're constantly adding old shit. I would guess that sooner or later, they'll add that show.

 

Good post and very informative I was wondering why HBO left boxing and this is a pretty good explanation. I thought the reason was the ratings. With the old HBO crew getting old and other streaming options...offering boxing events wasn't a priority anymore. I understand boxing is a niche market and has always been that way due to its violent nature. It's not a mainstream sport. But I wouldn't call boxing small potatoes when top boxers are the highest paid athletes in the world. So obviously the money and interest is there. The Mayweathers and the Canelo's have shown how much money and interest boxing can generate. Just like you say boxing fans have an overinflated view of our sport you seem to not give boxing enough credit for its loyal fans who turn up to the fights, buy ppvs and generate the big gate numbers. Boxing has been around going strong before HBO and will still be around after HBO is long gone.

 

Well that's when the fallout they had with Haymon and Floyd does play a factor, but I don't think it was the deciding blow.