Mick Hennessy: Setanta made no bid for Froch fight

[whiskey]

http://www.livefight.com/news/mick-henn ... h_855.html

[whiskey]

17.04.09

No bid from Setanta for Froch V Taylor



Carl Froch’s promoter Mick Hennessy has moved to set the record straight regarding comments on Steve Bunce’s Boxing hour yesterday which appeared to suggest that Setanta had made an offer for the rights to screen Froch’s upcoming World title showdown with Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor.


The “Cobra” makes the first defence of his WBC World Super Middleweight title at the MGM Grand in Connecticut on April 25th against former undisputed middleweight champ Taylor and the fight will be available live and exclusive on frochvtaylor.com after Britain’s broadcasters turned down the opportunity to screen the clash.


However Hennessy explained that all other avenues were exhausted before he made the decision to make the fight available via an online pay per view. “Since Steve Bunce’s show yesterday people have been asking me why didn’t I accept Setanta’s offer but the fact is there never was an offer from Setanta,” said Hennessy.

“To be honest a fight of this magnitude shouldn’t need selling to a broadcaster but I have worked very hard to try and get a TV deal for this fight. On last weeks show Steve Bunce said that Setanta were in the running to show the fight but they had already said by that stage that they didn’t want the fight.

“I’ve spent an awful lot of time talking to Setanta about this fight. They market themselves as ‘The home of Boxing’, so I find it baffling that they didn’t even make an offer to screen Britain’s only World Champion in one of the biggest fights for British boxing in years.

“Carl is putting his money where his mouth is by travelling to the U.S. and laying it all on the line against one of the biggest names in World boxing. That tells you everything you need to know about Carl’s ambitions in the sport.

“It’s unfortunate because we have a situation in boxing where a lot of champions out there are only too happy to defend bogus titles against unworthy challengers. Carl is breaking the mould here by going to the U.S. in his first defence to take on a star name like Taylor but his bravery hasn’t been encouraged or rewarded by the U.K. broadcasters stance on this fight. “

Hennessy believes that fight fans watching the action via online Pay Per View at frochvtaylor.com will be rewarded with one of the fights of the year.

“It’s an absolutely massive fight and we’re delighted to be working with Omnisport.tv and Perform who are industry leaders in providing high quality internet streaming and I think boxing fans will be very pleased with the results on frochvtaylor.com.

“Carl is fresh from one of the fights of 2008 when he won the title against Jean Pascal and I truly believe he’ll actually better that performance against Taylor. It promises to be a great fight and I think Carl is going to deliver an historic performance to really establish himself on the world stage.”

Froch’s super fight with Taylor will be available to watch live and exclusive online via pay per view at frochvtaylor.com. The pay per view costs just £9.95 (or €11.00 for Irish viewers) and will give fight fans an opportunity to see one of the most eagerly awaited World title fights of the year. For more information visit: frochvtaylor.com.

[youngrell]

Very interesting, would like to hear Buncey/Setanta's reply to this, because its a poor showing if they haven't offered but say they have.

I don't think Buncey can be blamed though, I'm pretty sure he would love to cover the fight and perhaps he's been told they made an offer when they haven't.

[banjo]

It's not to do with Buncey, he works for Setanta he doesn't make the decisions of what they will and won't show, it's not his fault if somebody has told him that they offered when they didn't.

[neil hibbert]

gets more strange by the days this hha surely sum1s gonna buy the fight

[DavidPayne]

I'm sure this is just semantics.

Either Setanta asked how much it was, were told, said no. Or Hennessy told them how much, Setanta said no.

Setanta, by asking, 'offered' to cover the fight but kind of didn't when they were told it was x amount.

Setanta know nobody leaves before Haye fights - they will get NO more new subscribers by buying this fight, precious little advertising revenue at 2am and Hennessy is holding out for a fee in line with the status of the fight.

Setanta can afford to be more callous on this fight. Because they have the carrot of Haye until June.

ITV are skint and would rather put repeats of Terry and June on at 3am than present a live event.

And if casual viewers aren't presented the fight inside pub hours - they'll not watch it - only hardcore fans will make the effort to watch it.

And thats a small band of merrymen.

BBC are the one's who should be criticised - as a public service broadcaster shouldn't their remit include world-champions against marquee mandatories?

[Phenomenal-Nutrition]

I'm sure this is just semantics.

Either Setanta asked how much it was, were told, said no. Or Hennessy told them how much, Setanta said no.

Setanta, by asking, 'offered' to cover the fight but kind of didn't when they were told it was x amount.

Bang on the button Hennessy is trying to save face for royally cocking up the whole thing.

In a way I agree with Buncey 'downloading an illegal stream is taking money out of Froch's pocket' but in another way I think letting Hennessy get away with this cock up will only encourage him to do the same in the future. Bottom line he could have had it on TV and didn't.

[stujones]

I'm not saying that this is the case.... but if I was working for a TV company, but not in an executive role - then the best way to pull in punters is to say off price at the moment but there is still time.... makes it more of a "watch this space" type thing.

I'm not saying this is happening, but I remember bombarding channel 5 with emails after they showed Holyfield vs Moorer 2 - and they kept saying "no plans at present" ... so not knowing the terminology I asked again - and they explained... no plans at present means no bid and at the moment no intention to bid, but that could change. No plans means "no intention" - TV execs cannot lie about using such terminology and I am sure had Buncey "lied" then he would have had a massive rollocking.

So I am guessing that Setanta have offered a bid, but it is poultry.

[Autobarn]

Poultry offer?

That's as good as "credit where it's Jew".

"What came first - chicken or egg?"
-"------"
"Why did the chicken cross the road?"
-"He wanted to! He wanted to!"