HBO...Preventing Boxing on Network TV

"I think it was obvious and Kevin Monaghan (who ran NBC’s boxing franchise) said it the first time Dan [Duva] sold a fight to HBO; ’That’s the end,’" admitted Duva, who eventually took over Main Events from her late husband. "But at the same time, the problem was that you’ve got fighters who are fighting in the here and now; it’s kind of hard to tell them, ’Well, you could be making three times as much if you go fight on HBO but I’m going to keep you here because it’s better for the long-term health of the sport.

"It’s hard to do," she continued, with a laugh. "Yeah, everybody ran out to grab what they could get and it’s a natural tendency but again, part of the problem was that there’s was no way to stop it. Once somebody comes out there and basically starts offering so much money, where no one can compete with them, then people are going to go there. If we hadn’t gone there, they would’ve bought some other fights."

Duva says that the 800-pound gorilla that is HBO is keeping other networks from joining the fray. Bottom line, they simply can’t compete with their business model.

"Yeah, I have [been told that] - by more than one network. They said that they simply can’t compete with that, so they’re not going to try. ESPN’s choice is to just go with that club fight model, which works well for them. But they’ve told me that they will not even consider trying to be the player in boxing since they know they can’t compete with HBO and Showtime’s fight structures," she stated. "They just have a different revenue model; there’s no way they can compete with it."

gomez1012 wrote:http://www.maxboxing.com/news/promo-lead/duva-will-live-or-die-with-her-high-heels-on-part-two-with-kathy-duva

"I think it was obvious and Kevin Monaghan (who ran NBC’s boxing franchise) said it the first time Dan [Duva] sold a fight to HBO; ’That’s the end,’" admitted Duva, who eventually took over Main Events from her late husband. "But at the same time, the problem was that you’ve got fighters who are fighting in the here and now; it’s kind of hard to tell them, ’Well, you could be making three times as much if you go fight on HBO but I’m going to keep you here because it’s better for the long-term health of the sport."It’s hard to do," she continued, with a laugh. "Yeah, everybody ran out to grab what they could get and it’s a natural tendency but again, part of the problem was that there’s was no way to stop it. Once somebody comes out there and basically starts offering so much money, where no one can compete with them, then people are going to go there. If we hadn’t gone there, they would’ve bought some other fights."

Duva says that the 800-pound gorilla that is HBO is keeping other networks from joining the fray. Bottom line, they simply can’t compete with their business model.

"Yeah, I have [been told that] - by more than one network. They said that they simply can’t compete with that, so they’re not going to try. ESPN’s choice is to just go with that club fight model, which works well for them. But they’ve told me that they will not even consider trying to be the player in boxing since they know they can’t compete with HBO and Showtime’s fight structures," she stated. "They just have a different revenue model; there’s no way they can compete with it."

Tobe wrote:The bolded isn't the only reason a guy should want to fight on network TV. There's only a handful of slots on a given HBO or Showtime card and they're going to go to the biggest name guys who fans want to see.

But, either a prospect trying to prove himself or an older vet trying to build or restore his reputation and earn a HBO slot should still WANT to fight on network TV so they can be seen by fans, up their marketability and earn that money fight.

In my mind it's the promoters who are being shortsighted here. TV and HBO can be mutually beneficial (not only for them, but for the fighters and the sport as well) if there's some coordination and strategy involved in promotion.

gomez1012 wrote:
I agree with what your saying, but right now a TV network doesnt want to invest in boxing with HBO in the mix.

They drive up the price so damn high and for what? Berto KO Hernandez?

Tobe wrote:Yeah, but network TV has to realize they're NOT competing with HBO, they could just be benefitting from the situation that HBO is creating. That is, with some foresight they could get good figthers who'll take fights for cheap on TV so they can earn a big money fight on HBO down the road. That means better cards on TV and more ad revenue for the network upfront, potentially bigger name and big money for the fighters, and basically free promotion for HBO's big time cards - all of which is good for the sport.

The risk is for the fighters and the promoters. They have to be willing to take real fights (not just showcase garbage sparring sessions) for cheap on TV in order to build the audience and grow the pie they all want a piece of.

Still, you're right that overpaying guys for crap fights on HBO like Berto v. Hernandez doesn't help anybody.

gomez1012 wrote:

Tobe wrote:Yeah, but network TV has to realize they're NOT competing with HBO, they could just be benefitting from the situation that HBO is creating. That is, with some foresight they could get good figthers who'll take fights for cheap on TV so they can earn a big money fight on HBO down the road. That means better cards on TV and more ad revenue for the network upfront, potentially bigger name and big money for the fighters, and basically free promotion for HBO's big time cards - all of which is good for the sport.

The risk is for the fighters and the promoters. They have to be willing to take real fights (not just showcase garbage sparring sessions) for cheap on TV in order to build the audience and grow the pie they all want a piece of.

Still, you're right that overpaying guys for crap fights on HBO like Berto v. Hernandez doesn't help anybody.

Yea man, ESPN and Showtime are doing a good job with the current state.