kahn malignaggi on itv got 600 thousand viewers!

[Deserter]

I thought that the typical boxer viewer is exactly who the advertisers were after. I'd guess they are mostly dads mid 30's to mid 50's, biggest earner in the household, decision maker on major purchases, close to or at peak earning potential etc. Wasn't chasing this demographic the reason ITV4 was created?

Unless the advertisers think that this demographic is going to tend to be too working class to have any disposable income i can't understand why they aren't after these guys or what more cost effective way they have to get them in front of the tv.

I do get angry at the BBC too as really it should only be showing programming that is not mass appeal. If it's mainstream enough to be commercial viable it doesn't need to be provided by a publicly funded service.

Most FMCG brands (which are the ones who can afford to advertise on TV) are after a female audience and the other desirable demographic is youth, which is why Big Brother was such a huge earner for Channel 4 for so many years.
A lot of it is based on perception, rightly or wrongly, and boxing audiences are seen by and large as low income and too old.

[states]

Didn't some MP table a motion in the House Of Commons a while back, asking why the BBC weren't showing any boxing? I've either imagined that, or confused it with another similar story.

I know Boxing isn't the easiest sport to devote coverage to, but the BBC's public service remit should mean they at least show some boxing.

[SAPFO]

How can we bring it to the attention of people who can make changes? Are there even enough of us to make a noise?


Are we going on a United style "stop the glazer" protest? Ours being "No to MotoGP, Yes to Boxing!" What colours shall we wear?




...but then again, the beeb are crap at putting on a show.

[SAPFO]

Well it is the sport budget of some sort. Ok, how about ko Strictly Come Prancing? That is the nearest we got to see a boxer dancing around on the BBC.

[dondada]

Adding to the great ratings in this country, the fight was also the highest rated boxing fight on HBO since Klitscho vs Arreola which was september 2009 so he's definately made a big impact where it counts most and set him up to be a superstar there if he keeps winning of cause.

Its laughable now to think people on here were knocking him for going to America!

I'm pretty sure Khan's bout was part of your ordinary HBO subscription. If it did good numbers in the States, I'd be very surprised.

I went there, stayed opposite Madison Square Garden, and no f*cker I talked to knew it was on - even fight fans over there. There was big publicity for Cotto v Foreman and some UFC shite but nothing on Khan. Hardly anything in the papers, literally a couple of inches here and there.

I watched ESPN and waited for ages for 'boxing' to come up on the ticker tape on the day of the fight. When it did, it was about Valero's body being exhumed.

[chinny]

I'm pretty sure Khan's bout was part of your ordinary HBO subscription.

Yes, it was, and 'Boxing After Dark" at that, a more junior version of "World Championship Boxing". Kind of like a Friday Fight Night compared to a "Big Fight Special" on Sky.

It did seem to get attention in the US internet press and a lengthy segment on ESPN FNF.

[SAPFO]

Am I right in thinking it was in the small arena next to the well know part of MSG? So they are bringing him through the ranks TV wise over there then.

[exittored]

Adding to the great ratings in this country, the fight was also the highest rated boxing fight on HBO since Klitscho vs Arreola which was september 2009 so he's definately made a big impact where it counts most and set him up to be a superstar there if he keeps winning of cause.

Its laughable now to think people on here were knocking him for going to America!

I'm pretty sure Khan's bout was part of your ordinary HBO subscription. If it did good numbers in the States, I'd be very surprised.

I went there, stayed opposite Madison Square Garden, and no f*cker I talked to knew it was on - even fight fans over there. There was big publicity for Cotto v Foreman and some UFC shite but nothing on Khan. Hardly anything in the papers, literally a couple of inches here and there.

I watched ESPN and waited for ages for 'boxing' to come up on the ticker tape on the day of the fight. When it did, it was about Valero's body being exhumed.

I'm not sure what your trying to say here.

There is only 2 types of HBO transmissions...HBO and HBO PPV and the khan fight was the highest rated boxing fight since the Klitscho vs Arreola one in sept 2009 so he beat established American stars like Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams, Andre Berto, Chad Dawson and new stars like Gamboa, Juan Lopez, Devon Alexander, Cintron, Angulo and Bute.

The fight was also pretty much sold out weeks ago so there's no need to publicize it unlike upcoming events like Cotto vs Foreman and the next ufc and sadly boxing hardly ever gets any space in the American print media nowadays unless its a superstar boxer and there are only 2 of those at the moment.

ESPN never put boxing on their main page unless its Pacman/ Mayweather or they have recieved advertising payment for the fight.

From looking at all the boxing websites, the fight was covered very well both pre and post fight so made a good impact to boxing fans.

Just to answer another poster, yes the fight was at the small arena, not the main one at MSG but better to have a sell out bursing with energy then a half empty arena with none.

[SAPFO]

Thanks for that exittored, thought it looked smaller, but agree, much better to be full than half empty.

[dondada]

Hey, I'm glad he'd doing well and I don't question your figures.

All I'm saying is that there was absolutely zero 'big fight buzz' over there at all. Only my perspective.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Hey, I'm glad he'd doing well and I don't question your figures.

All I'm saying is that there was absolutely zero 'big fight buzz' over there at all. Only my perspective.

There rarely is in the states to be fair though Ian, the Yanks don't get excited like we do, probably because they don't drink enough.

[SAPFO]

Yanks stay at home, get excited, and purchase the PPV. We go the pub, get excited, pissed, then miss the fight ..oh is that just me then?

[martin_g91]

600 Thousand is a good figure for a Sky show at that time but I was told by a TV exec once that the major four (BBC1, 2, ITV, C4) all get a least a million at anytime of anynight. Even with no program running at least a million people fall asleep with the tv on by all accounts ! All Khan's figure tells me is that 400 thousand people woke up and turned him off.

[SAPFO]

Add the fact it was a saturday after pub/club/session time. Many people are still awake at that time on a sat.

[banjo]

at least a million people fall asleep with the tv on by all accounts

[Asterix]

600 Thousand is a good figure for a Sky show at that time but I was told by a TV exec once that the major four (BBC1, 2, ITV, C4) all get a least a million at anytime of anynight. Even with no program running at least a million people fall asleep with the tv on by all accounts ! All Khan's figure tells me is that 400 thousand people woke up and turned him off.