Ross Greenburg claims HBO will heavily advertise Bradley vs Alexander

The upcoming junior welterweight unification, between unbeaten champions Timothy Bradley and Devon Alexander, was called "a signature fight" by HBO's President of Sports Ross Greenburg. Alexander (21-0, 13 KOs) from St. Louis, Mo. will face Bradley (26-0, 11 KOs) from Palm Springs, Calif., on January 29 at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Mich. HBO is planning a major marketing campaign for the fight.

"This is a hot division, and these are the two, very best. They are two of the very best fighters at 140 pounds. They're in their prime. We haven't seen this kind of a match up since, you know, Julio Cesar Chavez-Meldrick Taylor, or Aaron Pryor-Alexis Arguello," said Greenburg. "I mean, it's not quite on the level of a Chavez-Taylor or a Pryor-Arguello, but it's the most significant 140-pound match up since those two great fights."

"We're going to have some very, very heavy marketing muscle behind this fight between two Americans fighting for a unification of their 140-pound titles. So, internet, print, radio, television -- we are going to basically blast the American public with this fight."

HBO positioned Alexander-Bradley close to the Super Bowl in order to provide the fight with a very attractive televised date. The Super Bowl is being held on Feb. 6 at Dallas Cowboys Stadium.

"It's newsworthy that HBO wants Bradley and Alexander to fight on that big date, which is Jan. 29. It's the biggest HBO date," said Greenburg in July. "It's one of the biggest of the year because it sits right in front of the Super Bowl."

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=34545

Whatever Greenberg. Why didn't the fight get Countdown?

GrantZilla wrote:Whatever Greenberg. Why didn't the fight get Countdown?

+1

They should have been marketing this fight since the day it was signed.

And I still want to know why this fight is doing at the fucking Pontiac Silverdome in Michigan. Yeah, let's have a big fight in the most economicaly depressed areas in the US. And awy from major media outlets.

GrantZilla wrote:And I still want to know why this fight is doing at the fucking Pontiac Silverdome in Michigan. Yeah, let's have a big fight in the most economicaly depressed areas in the US. And awy from major media outlets.

The people who own the venue paid 500k to stage the fight.

Figures. Detroit is a dead city. No way it packs in a good gate for this fight.

Greedy fucking promoters.

GrantZilla wrote:Whatever Greenberg. Why didn't the fight get Countdown?

+1

And the fight is this month and I havent seen a thing?

How about a commercial during the NFL PLayoffs?

great idea gomez..its 19 days away..when do you start the promotion the day after the fight.

HBO just blew 3 million on this

gomez1012 wrote:HBO just blew 3 million on this

I can careless about the advertising. HBO should just spend it on more fights, but thats just me. Its cool to get more fans in the sport and all, but I'll watch any fight they put on regardless. HBOs boxing budget doesnt benifit them (obviously from the ratings), I just wonder why they spend so much on the sport? owners might just be huge boxing fans I guess haha

HBO blew too much money on a fight like this though. Yes, its a solid fight and a fight Ive been wanting to see, but 2 million split between the two would of been perfect IMO. There was no need to spend 3 million. Lets not forget, Bradley and Alexander didnt look so great in their last fights.

Diego408 wrote:HBO blew too much money on a fight like this though. Yes, its a solid fight and a fight Ive been wanting to see, but 2 million split between the two would of been perfect IMO. There was no need to spend 3 million. Lets not forget, Bradley and Alexander didnt look so great in their last fights.

I can't name 3 fights I'd rather see than this so I don't think they overpaid. Two elite fighters taking on the toughest available opponent in a stacked weight class is exactly where HBO's $ should go. I have absolutely no problem with HBO paying top dollar for the best fights available.

As far as advertising, big fights need to find a way to get tv and frontpage space on ESPN, and self-promote with ads on whatever network is showing the fight. That and get out into the community wherever they're showing the fight to make sure they seats get filled.

well, I guess they start their ad campaign with their "ring life" series on youtube. Worth a look, but if you are a degenerate fan like most of us here, it's basically a rehash of what they played in the past immediately before Bradley or Alexander have fought.

I'm still lauging that this fight is in Detriot. Even worse, Ticketmaster not even doing the tickets. You have to buy them directly for the arena. Fuck, if the place isn't completly empty will be a miracle.

gomez1012 wrote:HBO just blew 3 million on this

$1 million was spent on the oils just to shine up Bradley's body.

GrantZilla wrote:I'm still lauging that this fight is in Detriot. Even worse, Ticketmaster not even doing the tickets. You have to buy them directly for the arena. Fuck, if the place isn't completly empty will be a miracle.

....unreal..go to the dome and buy the ticket instead of online..i guess if you live 50 miles or 25 miles from detroit your not going to the fight.how stupid can they be.lol thell probably say at the dome cash only no credit cards.

dmar5143 wrote:

GrantZilla wrote:I'm still lauging that this fight is in Detriot. Even worse, Ticketmaster not even doing the tickets. You have to buy them directly for the arena. Fuck, if the place isn't completly empty will be a miracle.

....unreal..go to the dome and buy the ticket instead of online..i guess if you live 50 miles or 25 miles from detroit your not going to the fight.how stupid can they be.lol thell probably say at the dome cash only no credit cards.

Or looking at a different way:

Without the ability to buy online it gives the locals in Detroit (a poor city) the ability to get tickets before the wealthier people from the suburbs buy out all of the tickets online. How many inner city Detroit residents get to go to a Lions game or a Pistons game? This gives the blue collar people the chance to get there first. Would have made more sense if at least one of the fighters was from Detroit

hardcore i see what your saying and yes thats why they got 25 dollar tickets..they could of done both..for example the first ten days of ticket sales are only at the dome in person then after that both in person online or via phone with credit card..

dmar5143 wrote:hardcore i see what your saying and yes thats why they got 25 dollar tickets..they could of done both..for example the first ten days of ticket sales are only at the dome in person then after that both in person online or via phone with credit card..

Sure, there has to be some sort of compromise. I hate when there is an event at MSG that I want to see and I walk from work to 34th Street to get tickets and they tell me I have to go online to get them. WTF???? I had to go on Stub Hub to get tickets to the Big East Tourney.

Ali wrote:$1 million was spent on the oils just to shine up Bradley's body.

Terrible job by HBO on those greatest hits, they just showed the HBO fights they appeared in...smh

gomez1012 wrote:

Ali wrote:$1 million was spent on the oils just to shine up Bradley's body.

Terrible job by HBO on those greatest hits, they just showed the HBO fights they appeared in...smh

I know that really bugs me, they missed out Bradley's career defining wins over Holt and Witter.

Yep, even his win over Lamont Peterson was a solid performance

gomez1012 wrote:Yep, even his win over Lamont Peterson was a solid performance

I feel for Showtime, they heavily invested in both Bradley and Dawson only to see them lured off to HBO.

Its a smart move though, dont overpay for fights/fighters

Showtime had them on in fights that made both of them

Bradley vs Witter, Holt, L Peterson
Dawson vs Glenn Johnson I, Tarver I, Adamek

Plus a couple of ShoBox fights

Oh God this fight is in Detroit, I thought it was going to be in New Orleans. I'll expect a lot of empty seats.