Boxing - TV - Internet & The Credit Crunch

[Spud]

This thread was posted in Feb - I din't think it would be so soon it needed a revisit!!!

Whilst it is a boring subject to some people and others will state its just alarmist clap trap - for me "The Credit Crunch" is biting hard and its starting to infringe on boxing a little bit more than some people may realise or want to realise.

Purely an opinion but for me ITV's delayed screening of the Clinton Woods fight was partly down to money - in addition Carl Froch having to fight in America is not just about him wanting to increase his profile - I am a tadge more cynical about things and it is my opinion that ITV simply cannot afford to come up with the necessary funding to showcase a big fight in this country (AT PRIME TIME IN THE UK!!) - if I am wrong I seriously mean it when I state I will be DELIGHTED when proved wrong!!! (Lets hope Carl fights in a big fight on ITV in the near future not just some secondary opponent!!!).

So without terrestrial TV we yet again fallback on the satetlite stations - rumour after rumours are bounding around that one of the satelite channels that showcases boxing is still busy trying to increase its funding as advertsing revenue is seriously slowing up (a FACT that has been highlighted on some consumer programmes and highlighted extensively in many "broadsheets"). If funding does not come to fruitition through investment in the city then that company may just may have to make cutbacks here and there and will that mean boxing suffers there too?

So then where does that leave boxing - in comes and its something a lot of people are mentioning a lot more often and thats "The Internet" - I am surprised places like SecondsOut.TV and yes even
Frank W arren.TV amongst others are not starting to grab the bull by the horns and say possibly test the water by putting a big UK bill throught the internet to see if one it will work and then second time round if subscriptions are appropriate then go for it.

Perhaps I am jumping the gun - you know perhaps its taking 5 steps before the first one is taken - but I seriously remain convinced that the Internet is going to have a massive part to play in boxing and indeed other sports in the very near future. I do not mean discussion forums like this - I mean if we want to watch the sport - slowly but surely the internet is going to be the place.

Does anyone agree with what I am trying to state above - TV if the "Crunch" continues will have to make cutbacks - major chance for internet sites to get the sport on the cheap!!!

[jspain]

seconds out tv are already shown foreign cards. they are showing the adamek v banks card this coming friday. its 5.99 pounds and its available to people outside the us and canada. im not sure if they have been doing this for long. whether they start showing uk bills in the future is another thing. would they make enough money doing it that way. would be a gamble starting off.

will be interesting if they start doing this for other fights.

[Asterix]

Internet Boxing Pay Per Views will become popular in the future. I think someone should get on it now and lead the way. It has to be done properly, though. Technical hitches are a major turn off.

A German TV channel, RDF I think it is, stream their broadcast online live and it's very nice to have. It's not very good quality and is embedded Windows Media Player so is not easy to resize, but it's free and reliable.

Putting interviews and clips onto YouTube is a fantastic step that a few have made, but being able to watch fights live over the Internet is the big step, and once it's set up should prove to be lucrative.

[stujones]

Whilst it is a boring subject to some people and others will state its just alarmist clap trap - for me "The Credit Crunch" is biting hard and its starting to infringe on boxing a little bit more than some people may realise or want to realise.

Purely an opinion but for me ITV's delayed screening of the Clinton Woods fight was partly down to money - in addition Carl Froch having to fight in America is not just about him wanting to increase his profile - I am a tadge more cynical about things and it is my opinion that ITV simply cannot afford to come up with the necessary funding to showcase a big fight in this country (AT PRIME TIME IN THE UK!!) - if I am wrong I seriously mean it when I state I will be DELIGHTED when proved wrong!!! (Lets hope Carl fights in a big fight on ITV in the near future not just some secondary opponent!!!).

So without terrestrial TV we yet again fallback on the satetlite stations - rumour after rumours are bounding around that one of the satelite channels that showcases boxing is still busy trying to increase its funding as advertsing revenue is seriously slowing up (a FACT that has been highlighted on some consumer programmes and highlighted extensively in many "broadsheets"). If funding does not come to fruitition through investment in the city then that company may just may have to make cutbacks here and there and will that mean boxing suffers there too?

So then where does that leave boxing - in comes and its something a lot of people are mentioning a lot more often and thats "The Internet" - I am surprised places like SecondsOut.TV and yes even
Frank W arren.TV amongst others are not starting to grab the bull by the horns and say possibly test the water by putting a big UK bill throught the internet to see if one it will work and then second time round if subscriptions are appropriate then go for it.

Perhaps I am jumping the gun - you know perhaps its taking 5 steps before the first one is taken - but I seriously remain convinced that the Internet is going to have a massive part to play in boxing and indeed other sports in the very near future. I do not mean discussion forums like this - I mean if we want to watch the sport - slowly but surely the internet is going to be the place.

Does anyone agree with what I am trying to state above - TV if the "Crunch" continues will have to make cutbacks - major chance for internet sites to get the sport on the cheap!!!

At the moment, internet technology isn't up to speed... and I do think an option to record the bill is necessary... forking out say £10 and you don't get the option to view it again is abit steep in my opinion. I think the credit crunch will affect all aspects of spending, including internet.

Now, I am not going to pretend to know the ins and out, and I'll hold me hands up - I never really paid much attention to the undercard of the jersey bill - but ITV do require a good undercard, and it seemed to be lacking anything of note.

[jonp]

Youv had my veiws on this and im surprised you havnt nicked em as your own DD

[ArtOfWar]

Internet cards won't become common practice until the majority of people start linking their pc's to their flat screen tv's and also have solid high speed internet connections. The first part is not hard to do, it's just not taken off yet. Most people still use a pc monitor. The second part is still a problem. I bet everyone on here has had problems with their internet. I've got the 10mb virgin media package and when I go to watch a stream there are still times where the pictures freezes so it can 'buffer' (whatever that is).

I reckon it will be 3 or 4 years before internet boxing cards become properly viable. Certainly in this country it will be. I think I read not to long ago that Britain has one of the weakest services in Europe. In fact most countries still need to improve, but we are way down there.

[Coco]

What lead do I need to connect my laptop to the tv as I want to watch stuff i've downloaded?

[ArtOfWar]

What lead do I need to connect my laptop to the tv as I want to watch stuff i've downloaded?

If you've got a hdmi connection on the laptop just plug the hdmi cable in. If not you need a vga lead for the picture and then another lead for the sound. Obviously your lcd needs to have those inputs as well, which a lot of them do. You can get the leads on amazon pretty cheap.

[Spud]

Lets visit this thread in the near future - I hope I am wrong - but there again more choice on the internet maybe the way forward.

[Asterix]

At the moment, internet technology isn't up to speed... and I do think an option to record the bill is necessary... forking out say £10 and you don't get the option to view it again is abit steep in my opinion. I think the credit crunch will affect all aspects of spending, including internet.

Now, I am not going to pretend to know the ins and out, and I'll hold me hands up - I never really paid much attention to the undercard of the jersey bill - but ITV do require a good undercard, and it seemed to be lacking anything of note.

The technology is there. I even mentioned above that a German TV channel have already started providing a live stream for their boxing. Also, have a look at justin.tv. £10 is way too steep. Internet PPVs have to be cheap. And about the option to view it again, why not? Setanta have an on demand archive. The reason why no one has yet put it all together is because they don't understand the technology. As has been mentioned before, boxing is old fashioned.

You might be interested in this: http://www.examiner.com/x-2850-LA-Boxin ... st-century

[Spud]

Now, I am not going to pretend to know the ins and out, and I'll hold me hands up - I never really paid much attention to the undercard of the jersey bill - but ITV do require a good undercard, and it seemed to be lacking anything of note.

Stu - nor do I - as many of you have already pointed out all I know is what people choose to tell me - but when you hear the same rumours from different people thats when the expression "there is no smoke without fire comes in the equation". As a boxing fan I will repeat things time and again and that is boxing needs to be on multi channels and thats on both terrestrial and Satelite!!! - if you listen to the wrong people you would soon get p*ssed off because they are saying the credit crunch is definitely not over for TV and that is again both Terrestrial and satelite.

[Asterix]

I think I read not to long ago that Britain has one of the weakest services in Europe. In fact most countries still need to improve, but we are way down there.

That's very true. We're pretty shit when it comes to Internet speeds. :x

[tobyh5]

I believe some unscrupulous people use something called bit torrents to do illegal downloads of fights. They can get most fights within an hour of them happening, neigh on every fight or worth.

I would know nothing of such thing (doghousesq horse icon required)

[stujones]

Now, I am not going to pretend to know the ins and out, and I'll hold me hands up - I never really paid much attention to the undercard of the jersey bill - but ITV do require a good undercard, and it seemed to be lacking anything of note.

Stu - nor do I - as many of you have already pointed out all I know is what people choose to tell me - but when you hear the same rumours from different people thats when the expression "there is no smoke without fire comes in the equation". As a boxing fan I will repeat things time and again and that is boxing needs to be on multi channels and thats on both terrestrial and Satelite!!! - if you listen to the wrong people you would soon get p*ssed off because they are saying the credit crunch is definitely not over for TV and that is again both Terrestrial and satelite.

Sorry, I didn't mean to question your original post and I don't want to degrade FA. You've said previous that money was a reason, and given what I have read about some other ITV shows getting the axe, stopping production etc then it makes sense although, countering myself!, I think ITV sport is now classed as independent (or something like that a recent development has happend) from ITV. But yes, I do agree its got to be part of the cause. I do think now, given the climate, that TV channels will be picking and chosing alot more - well apart from Setanta, who seem to have a make or break attitude, and Sky who seemed to have been dubbed by the assumption that meaningful belts would mean meaningful fights. I fear for the end of FNF.... its a huge concern when, hardcore fans, are more interested in Prizefighters than then regular FNF - that must have a reflection in the ratings... the whole FNF production looks tired and stale and the only reason for that is the complete non atmosphere in the bills and the one sided main events.

I appreciate its tough for everyone now, promoters, fans, TV - everyone is being affected (well my two contracts run out in the summer and november... and I know I have basically no chance for a renewal)... but somehow I think for ITV to come sniffing a good undercard is needed. Fair do's to Hennessey, he's been delivering on that score - well in the few bills he hasn't - he has Tyson Fury who ITV seem to putting alot of effort to become a star in. As Ian's interviews to the head of TV channels said, there are alot of considerations that commercial TV executives must take into account before launching a bid... and one of these is, what happens if the main event ends early.I'm sure advertising giants are not going to be thrilled if their advert is placed between rounds of two journeyman fighters.

I completely agree, boxing needs to be on both - primarly terrestial.... I hope these Hennessey ITV1 rumours are not true (concerning Froch).

[Spud]

Stu - I am with you - I do not want one single promoter and yes I mean that to lose any contract they have with any TV channel - I hae been banging on about the credit crunch or certainly hinting at it for a while now - and incidentally I am not just on about ITV - the statlite channels or those who sub let or whatever the expression is consistently need investment and in addition a break even figure in subscribers - you only have to google and do a bit of research to see whilst things are not alarming or urgent just yet - there is however cause for concern.

[Neil Jones Jnr]

I don't think the technology is quite there yet, but yes I think in the future it will happen.

I work in the film industry and more and more distributors are talking about downloads and streams as the wave of future film distribution.

To be honest if I could afford it, I'd probably look to invest in a streaming company for boxing. Basically boxing has a limited but very loyal fanbase. We'd all pay to watch fights if it was reaonable and not on tv.

Cheers

N

[Quixall]

Internet Boxing Pay Per Views will become popular in the future. I think someone should get on it now and lead the way. It has to be done properly, though. Technical hitches are a major turn off.

A German TV channel, RDF I think it is, stream their broadcast online live and it's very nice to have. It's not very good quality and is embedded Windows Media Player so is not easy to resize, but it's free and reliable.

Putting interviews and clips onto YouTube is a fantastic step that a few have made, but being able to watch fights live over the Internet is the big step, and once it's set up should prove to be lucrative.

The key will also be a competative pricing policy ans sructure, because at the moment fight fans are being ripped off, with regards to the amount of money they have to pay out....

[Autobarn]

I'll say what would help - certain channels should stop paying for SHIT fights. They should dictate to promoters, not give away cozy contracts that encourage mediocrity. They should demand the best fights otherwise the fights don't get on TV.

Less garbage PPVs, more aggressive matchmaking. Fights not fighters. While it is nice to see star fighters or upcoming stars, the fight itself should be the product, not the title, not just the headline fighter.

Look at America. While some programs and channels have packed it in, you have Versus and ESPN putting on better cards. Less showcase fights and more battles. Look at a value for money fighter like Tomasz Adamek, beats Steve Cunningham on Versus (a channel that primarily featured Top Rank prospects in mismatches aka "learning fights"), wins a great fight, gets on Showtime v Jon Banks this Friday. The incentive is there for a fighter like that, who provides value for money, who excites.

Don't pay "stars" like Joe Calzaghe megabucks for fights that are going to flop. Don't let the likes of Jermain Taylor fight Allan Green if he's been told "fight Kessler or Wright", "fight Froch or Glen Johnson." Build up the next generation of stars, keep 'em busy, give 'em good exposure, give them purposeful learning fights.

[Coco]

What lead do I need to connect my laptop to the tv as I want to watch stuff i've downloaded?

If you've got a hdmi connection on the laptop just plug the hdmi cable in. If not you need a vga lead for the picture and then another lead for the sound. Obviously your lcd needs to have those inputs as well, which a lot of them do. You can get the leads on amazon pretty cheap.

I'm a bit of a retard when it comes to this sort of thing and I didn't really understand anything you said!!!
Prob pics would be easier for me! I'm going down the hypermarket tonight, what exactly should I look for?

[Asterix]

What lead do I need to connect my laptop to the tv as I want to watch stuff i've downloaded?

If you've got a hdmi connection on the laptop just plug the hdmi cable in. If not you need a vga lead for the picture and then another lead for the sound. Obviously your lcd needs to have those inputs as well, which a lot of them do. You can get the leads on amazon pretty cheap.

I'm a bit of a retard when it comes to this sort of thing and I didn't really understand anything you said!!!
Prob pics would be easier for me! I'm going down the hypermarket tonight, what exactly should I look for?

It depends what inputs you've got on your TV. Basically, you want to match up the input(s) on your TV to the one(s) on your laptop.

HDMI (video & audio) - http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en ... a=N&tab=wi
If not, then:
VGA (video) - http://images.google.co.uk/images?um=1& ... rch+Images
Phono (red and white are audio, yellow is video -- you don't have to use both, but you can) - http://images.google.co.uk/images?um=1& ... rch+Images

[Asterix]

I don't think the technology is quite there yet, but yes I think in the future it will happen.

I work in the film industry and more and more distributors are talking about downloads and streams as the wave of future film distribution.

To be honest if I could afford it, I'd probably look to invest in a streaming company for boxing. Basically boxing has a limited but very loyal fanbase. We'd all pay to watch fights if it was reaonable and not on tv.

Cheers

N

Which part of the technology do you not think is there? I thought my post had it covered that everything is there.

[stujones]

At the moment, internet technology isn't up to speed... and I do think an option to record the bill is necessary... forking out say £10 and you don't get the option to view it again is abit steep in my opinion. I think the credit crunch will affect all aspects of spending, including internet.

Now, I am not going to pretend to know the ins and out, and I'll hold me hands up - I never really paid much attention to the undercard of the jersey bill - but ITV do require a good undercard, and it seemed to be lacking anything of note.

The technology is there. I even mentioned above that a German TV channel have already started providing a live stream for their boxing. Also, have a look at justin.tv. £10 is way too steep. Internet PPVs have to be cheap. And about the option to view it again, why not? Setanta have an on demand archive. The reason why no one has yet put it all together is because they don't understand the technology. As has been mentioned before, boxing is old fashioned.

You might be interested in this: http://www.examiner.com/x-2850-LA-Boxin ... st-century

Why don't these internet PPV's offer you the chance to download them onto your hard drive/dvd. I would get lots of them, but I would like the opportunity to view them on my TV, at a reasonable hour (if they are US based).... they don't seem to offer that chance?

I'd pay £10 if they did.

[Asterix]

Why don't these internet PPV's offer you the chance to download them onto your hard drive/dvd. I would get lots of them, but I would like the opportunity to view them on my TV, at a reasonable hour (if they are US based).... they don't seem to offer that chance?

I'd pay £10 if they did.

Because they're worried you'll upload them or burn them onto DVDs to sell/give away.

[Spud]

[Autobarn]

If ppl have got less mney it's no surprise that the boxing channels are the first to go.

Boxing, you can see right through all the self serving shite. Who wants to line greedy pockets when there's little in it for the viewer?