FROCH TAYLOR ITV1

[stujones]

Sorry Spud, completely disagree with that.

This fight NEEDED to be in the States, for Froch's profile... if ITV can screen it aswell then HUGE bonus for Froch's profile (especially if he wins).

At 31, Froch needs to be looking at the Pavliks, Hopkins's etc of this world to get into the big leagues... It took Joe 8 years to get there, and only because the all american Mr Excitement, fighter of 2005, was supposed to be coming to Cardiff on his coronation night. Its slightly different for Taylor... he is a name, but not as "exciting" as Lacy... it won't be classed as a coronation - he's already lost. US TV might not have been enthusiastic about sending a crew over and might have shown it on delay. A bit like when it was Witter vs Corley/Harris/Bradley - I am sure US TV would have shown those fights had they been in the states.... but they weren't, and Witter continued to struggle to sell leisure centres.

If Froch shines in the states... then he'll have the American executives talking - and then I expect them to travel to the UK to watch his next defences... Miranda vs Froch? Sounds tasty.

This fight needs to be in the states, and it would be FANTASTIC if it was on ITV. 1) It shows a commitment to boxing that we didn't think ITV had and 2) If it does well in the ratings... who knows for the future maybe we will start seeing more US shows coming to ITV.

[Spud]

Sorry Spud, completely disagree with that.

This fight NEEDED to be in the States, for Froch's profile... if ITV can screen it aswell then HUGE bonus for Froch's profile (especially if he wins).

At 31, Froch needs to be looking at the Pavliks, Hopkins's etc of this world to get into the big leagues... It took Joe 8 years to get there, and only because the all american Mr Excitement, fighter of 2005, was supposed to be coming to Cardiff on his coronation night. Its slightly different for Taylor... he is a name, but not as "exciting" as Lacy... it won't be classed as a coronation - he's already lost. US TV might not have been enthusiastic about sending a crew over and might have shown it on delay. A bit like when it was Witter vs Corley/Harris/Bradley - I am sure US TV would have shown those fights had they been in the states.... but they weren't, and Witter continued to struggle to sell leisure centres.

If Froch shines in the states... then he'll have the American executives talking - and then I expect them to travel to the UK to watch his next defences... Miranda vs Froch? Sounds tasty.

This fight needs to be in the states, and it would be FANTASTIC if it was on ITV. 1) It shows a commitment to boxing that we didn't think ITV had and 2) If it does well in the ratings... who knows for the future maybe we will start seeing more US shows coming to ITV.

Stu - I have no problems at all conceding in Froch having to build his reputation in the states and in addition making a name for himself at HBO and any other significant TV contributor.

But - regardless of whatever way anyone dresses this up and the good which will come from Froch fighting in the states - If ITV had come up with the necessary funding for the fight and that is something what I was being told was extremely realistic in comparison to what they pay for individual FA Cup replays and other sporting events and whats more the fee Hennessy was asking for in comparison to what they have paid out for previous shows was also extremely realistic - I think ITV in my humble opinion have shafted boxing.

TV companies rightly want to get the right deal for their viewers etc etc etc - but don't say nope we are not paying and then try to creep in the back door just because the promoters lost the rights to show the fight as his promotion and get the fight on the cheap - yes yes business is business - if a TV company wants to play hard ball in my view there is principal at stake here - even if Hennessy does not get as much as ITV are offering he should go to Setanta, Sky or another terrestrial channel which I know are interested in the fight but admittedly will not pay anywhere near the amount Hennessy wants to make something out of his UK rights of the show.

If ITV want to plead poverty then fine - boxing will understand but do not then try to come in via another route when you have slammed the door firmly shut when the offer and very reasonable one was lying at yours and only yours door!!!

[hitman_hatton1]

agreed with stu.

good ol spud he always talks a load of bull doesn't he.

[stephenR]

According to Mick Hennessey in todays daily express (02/04/09) no tv companies are in for the froch v taylor fight

[stujones]

I'm not really sure of your argument Spud, sorry. I'm not trying to goad you or be pedantic - I'm just being ignorant here... I do not understand.

Perhaps ITV haven't got the money to stage such an event by itself, but have the money to buy international feed of HBO?

Perhaps HBO wouldn't have offered to buy the US screening rights from ITV (which would have given ITV some dough) if the show was on in the UK.. at prime time UK.

Would Setanta have had the dosh to stage such an invent... the biggest UK show they've staged was Haye vs Enzo, the rest of the UK bills have been relatively small.

Would Sky have the interest to show such an event? They don't like dealing with Saturday boxing, as shown with the Olympians now being on a Friday.

This is a bigger fight in the states than it is in the UK, its not going to sell out Wembley or the Millenium Stadium

[Spud]

I'm not really sure of your argument Spud, sorry. I'm not trying to goad you or be pedantic - I'm just being ignorant here... I do not understand.

Perhaps ITV haven't got the money to stage such an event by itself, but have the money to buy international feed of HBO?

Perhaps HBO wouldn't have offered to buy the US screening rights from ITV (which would have given ITV some dough) if the show was on in the UK.. at prime time UK.

Would Setanta have had the dosh to stage such an invent... the biggest UK show they've staged was Haye vs Enzo, the rest of the UK bills have been relatively small.

Would Sky have the interest to show such an event? They don't like dealing with Saturday boxing, as shown with the Olympians now being on a Friday.

This is a bigger fight in the states than it is in the UK, its not going to sell out Wembley or the Millenium Stadium

Stu - what Hennessy is asking here is merely money for the UK TV rights for the show - in other words they will be paying gor the HBO pictures - a bit similar to what Sky do for the US bills they show.

When a promoter is merely selling the TV rights the money is vastly reduced from the money asked for the show if they were trying to angle for the full promotional rights.

I would actually argue the UK TV rights would be worth anything between 50k and 150k for this particular fight where as the promotional side of things would have been significantly more.

[Hagler2002]

Would Setanta have had the dosh to stage such an invent... the biggest UK show they've staged was Haye vs Enzo, the rest of the UK bills have been relatively small.

Setanta haven't got a pot to piss in, I'd be amazed if the company still existed 24 months from now.

[stujones]

Stu - what Hennessy is asking here is merely money for the UK TV rights for the show - in other words they will be paying gor the HBO pictures - a bit similar to what Sky do for the US bills they show.

When a promoter is merely selling the TV rights the money is vastly reduced from the money asked for the show if they were trying to angle for the full promotional rights.

I would actually argue the UK TV rights would be worth anything between 50k and 150k for this particular fight where as the promotional side of things would have been significantly more.

Sorry, I don't see what is the problem with this. Henessey isn't bringing over a world class name, and a world class undercard to fill just a smallish arena in Nottingham - cause Americans won't travel to see their guy and Taylor isn't a big enough name HERE to attract significantly more than the Froch fans who see Carl in every fight - so he is not going to fill Wembley or anything. So Hennessey is saving some £££££ by letting someone else promote it. Sure, ITV will be paying HBO now and not him - but he doesn't have to pay Taylor and Froch, undercard and all the other expenses.

The fight will be screened live on US TV's main boxing channel with a cracking undercard and, if it does turn out to be true, screened live on a terrestial channel. ITV CAN still promote the event, as Sky does US shows that they just have the screening rights to. They can still have preview shows etc (if they want to) and call it "their own".

I think everyones a winner, especially if it is Froch.

[My Name Is Earl]

Not financially feasible for ITV at that time of the night/morning. Froch not a big enough name to the UK public as yet. Unless Setanta come in with their usual late swoop, don't rule out a next-day recording. This happened 'back in the day' for some big fights.

[stujones]

Not financially feasible for ITV at that time of the night/morning. Froch not a big enough name to the UK public as yet. Unless Setanta come in with their usual late swoop, don't rule out a next-day recording. This happened 'back in the day' for some big fights.

Yep, Leonard vs Hagler was one and it was featured on the front cover of TV times.

[leforge]

Did henessy piss Sky off when he was on there by getting Froch fight last May on Itv?

[THEBUTCH]

I'm not giving up on HennessySports pulling something out of the hat. It's been done before.

We'd all prefer live coverage, of course, but if it's delayed, that will have to do. Honeghan's historic win over Curry was delayed coverage on a Sunday afternoon, which seems unthinkable but these things happen.

If there is no live TV surely Radio 5 will cover it, again, better than nothing.

[stujones]

I'm not giving up on HennessySports pulling something out of the hat. It's been done before.

We'd all prefer live coverage, of course, but if it's delayed, that will have to do. Honeghan's historic win over Curry was delayed coverage on a Sunday afternoon, which seems unthinkable but these things happen.

If there is no live TV surely Radio 5 will cover it, again, better than nothing.

Was it on delayed and live coverage (Honeyghun) cause sometimes that happend. For example, in Wales we rarely got to see Tyson live it was always 9.25 in the morning after Wackaday!... other areas had it live and on delay. I have a copy of the delayed coverage and it seemed like Dickie was presenting it in a fashion the everyon knew the result.

[leforge]

Tyson fights were shown on a Sunday morning.

[stujones]

Tyson fights were shown on a Sunday morning.

In some regions.. I think Granada and Central (maybe Yorkshire) had the fights live and with an undercard.

[THEBUTCH]

I'm sure Honeyghan Currey was delayed coverage only on ITV.

(P.S. RE:Tyson, some were shown live, others delayed in the South East region.)

[Counter-puncher]

Tyson fights were shown on a Sunday morning.

In some regions.. I think Granada and Central (maybe Yorkshire) had the fights live and with an undercard.

central certainly did for some of them

[leforge]

My region did not.