DO OR DIE FOR BOXING? …NOT!
By Blackbull
Inside Boxing Writer/Columnist
INSIDE BOXING (December 22, 2003) - In reading news and reports lately you would
think boxing is headed for disaster. ESPN pulling the plug on subsidizing their
Friday night boxing shows has everyone in a state of chaos. When the truth of
the matter is boxing is alive and going strong.
Top Rank already has Eleven dates of boxing scheduled to start off the new year.
With many more shows to be added, 2004 looks to be pretty bright for Top Rank.
Golden Boy Promotions has 2 shows stated for January, 5 shows in February, 2 in
March, 2 in April and another 5 in May. As a matter of fact Golden Boy
Promotions has shows scheduled throughout the entire year of 2004. Many of these
shows to air on HBO Latino and Telefutura. Why they even have a few ESPN
telecast on tap.
I say “even ESPN” because ESPN has not been real big on showcasing Latino
fighters. It even seems ESPN went out of their way not to feature Latino
fighters.
Main Events, King Productions, Guilty Boxing and CES are other promoters that
seem to be digesting comfortably from the fruit of boxing.
Main Events last event featuring Fernando Vargas posted some of the industries
highest ratings:
• The final overall Hispanic Household (HH) rating for the
program was 7.7—tied with the 2002 Mexican Soccer League Finals for the highest
Telefutura rating ever. (The 7.7 rating was also a full 1.4 points higher than
the previous highest “Solo Boxeo” rating of 6.3)
• During the Vargas bout the HH rating climbed to 10.0.
• The above ratings do not include the number of Anglo and
African-American households that also tuned in to the bout.
Main Events has also successfully brought boxing back to network T.V. with at
least 5 shows scheduled on NBC in 2004.
Does not sound like a sport in demise from this angle does it?
That’s because it’s not but what is, is certain promoters and ESPN’s boxing
venue. Large scaled promoters like Lou DiBella and Cedric Kushner will have to
re-think the way they do business if they are to survive in the dog-eat-dog
world of boxing. Promoters who relied heavily on ESPN’s subsidizing will quickly
fade into the sunset.
Matt Tinley, of America Presents lost more than a small fortune in boxing.
Tinley expensed millions of dollars into the game in hopes to rise to the level
of Don King or Bob Arum. America Presents quickly signed named fighters such as
David Tua, David Reid, Lawrence Clay Bey and list goes on. America Presents even
had Mike Tyson on paper. America Presents rise to glory would however stop short
of success. And when you dedicate your objectives so high, there is no falling
short. Do or Die.
America Presents died.
Tinley kept a very close eye on the dogs outside the fence, something he did not
do so well with the dogs inside the fence. Fighters, managers and administration
can quickly and quietly gobble up precious resources. As may have been the case
for America Presents.
But you did not hear Tinley blame the boxing fans for his downfall.
This is exactly what ESPN is doing… Laying the blame on the boxing fans for its
collapse in ratings.
Most corporations, when feeling the pinch will make internal changes to
replenish the life blood. Heads will roll, administrative changes are mandated,
and people get fired.
ESPN can blame themselves for a declining audience; the majority of their shows
downright stank. The boxing fan is not a stupid breed that will watch boxing
just because it has two guys in a ring fighting (or one guy fighting and the
other just picking up a paycheck). Yes, ESPN on occasion did have good
competitive action but it seemed more and more promoters were using ESPN’s
subsidy not to put forth the best and most competitive fights but as a welfare
check to promote their individual fighters and give them guaranteed wins against
inferior opponents.
Who is to blame?
Why aren’t heads rolling at ESPN? Why isn’t ESPN trying to improve the quality
of their boxing shows in order to bring back the viewing audience?
Simple, ESPN does not need boxing to survive. Boxing is not the life blood of
ESPN, it’s merely a sub-category in the “Other Sports” section.
So why create a hectic scene within management because of faltering boxing
ratings when you can just dump show. And dumping the show is what ESPN may have
in mind.
I anxiously await to see how hard ESPN will work with Jimmy Burchfield of CES.
Burchfield has indicated he has sponsorship in hand that would allow him to
continue airing fights without the subsidizing of ESPN. The key to making things
work with Burchfield is receiving dates and the blessings from ESPN.
Burchfield has also mentioned he would like ESPN to spell out what exactly he
would be able to offer his sponsors in return for sponsorship. Things like
exposure on ring post, apron, ring mat and T.V. time.
The other option ESPN can do is hire a person to actually do the matchmaking for
their shows. A matchmaker who has ESPN’s best interest at hand and one who will
not get into bed with certain promoters and managers. A matchmaker who will have
the attitude of; “If you want your fighter to fight on ESPN, then he will have
to fight an opponent of equal caliber.” No exceptions.
Solutions to a successful ESPN’s Friday night boxing program are plentiful; the
key is ESPN has to “want” to keep the program. The decision to revive the
program will most likely will have heads rolling. Will ESPN put forth a strong
effort to keep the Friday Night Boxing program going?
Probably not.
ESPN, go ahead, pull the plug, boxing will survive without you, look outside
your domain you’ll see boxing is thriving.
Moncayo Blackbull can be reached at
blackbull@insideboxing.com