Hennassy rips into the BBC

josh fg · Post by **josh fg** » 25 Apr 2005, 11:23

“This scintillating performance makes a mockery of the BBC’s decision to pull out of professional boxing.

“We have a potential superstar on our hands here.

“As an amateur the BBC showed Carl winning two ABA titles and becoming the first ever English fighter to win a medal at the world senior Championships.

“They then followed his professional career from day one, featuring all fourteen of his previous fights.

“To stop now, just as Carl – who has never let anyone down – arrives on the genuine world scene is beyond belief.

“Particularly as their initial intention was to show fighters they had monitored from an embryonic stage treading the traditional title path, progressing from amateur to professional champion.”

http://www.hennessysports.com/Article.asp?art=178

I imagen much of the motivation for this criticism is his loss of revenue but he dose make some good points. THe fact is I believe Boxing still has the potencial to be a massive sport in this country but TV just dosen't seem to want to know.

Chris W 1982 · Post by **Chris W 1982** » 25 Apr 2005, 11:29

Well said Mick. I just hope you find a new home for your stable of fighters.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 25 Apr 2005, 11:53

Well as Salmon has resigned, we shall see what happens.

A change of personnel may see the BBC see sense. Woods is champion, Froch is appearing on American bills, Witter is a top contender now, Haye is still in the mix, and Eastman may yet come again, and what are the BBC showing, amateur boxing..........without Khan, who has defected to ITV.

fornicating Hilarious...

leforge · Post by **leforge** » 25 Apr 2005, 11:56

I doubt bbc will change there mind they want the champs league rights so thats where there money will go.

But I dont know why they did not pick up Khan fight.

Who will be commentry team for this fight. I cant see itv doing any more.
They have really cut back on sport in recent years

jomothepure · Post by **jomothepure** » 25 Apr 2005, 12:01

jamesmcdonnell wrote:Well as Salmon has resigned, we shall see what happens.

A change of personnel may see the BBC see sense. Woods is champion, Froch is appearing on American bills, Witter is a top contender now, Haye is still in the mix, and Eastman may yet come again, and what are the BBC showing, amateur boxing..........without Khan, who has defected to ITV.

fornicating Hilarious...

It is a really strange policy the BBC have...sign boxers for their first 8 or 9 fights then drop them when they become interesting and get into contention for big fights and titles.

And - leforge - It's mad. I'm not exactly a non-football supporter, but I'd reckon BBC sport will be spending about, say, 80% of their budget on football if they get the champs league as well as prem highlights. Ridiculous to be honest.

leforge · Post by **leforge** » 25 Apr 2005, 12:06

BBC should not be allowed to spend on just one sport most of there budget.
They will spend it as they we see high ratings for games 6-8million.
BBc always gets higher than itv.

The champs league has killed football imo. How can a team who finsh 4th be in the competition in first place.

ITV seem to be cutting back on sport and spending more on reality shite

J · Post by J » 25 Apr 2005, 12:09

leforge wrote:BBC should not be allowed to spend on just one sport most of there budget.
They will spend it as they we see high ratings for games 6-8million.
BBc always gets higher than itv.

The champs league has killed football imo. How can a team who finsh 4th be in the competition in first place.

ITV seem to be cutting back on sport and spending more on reality shite

agree with you there should be the champs only.

jomothepure · Post by **jomothepure** » 25 Apr 2005, 12:11

Yeah, I think the Contender is about their pitch now. I give you oods of 1/2 we'll have a British version with Vic Reeves and James 'the cad' Hewitt in. And Jordan.

leforge · Post by **leforge** » 25 Apr 2005, 12:16

Eventually a european league will occur.
Then the premier league might be more competitive.
The team who finish 4th are nearer in points to the relegation places than the title. It was same last year.

ITV are obssessed with reality shows. There was 3 of them on Sat night.

BunglesFingers · Post by **BunglesFingers** » 25 Apr 2005, 17:12

I remember the BBC doing that strange comic book thing about 'The Cobra' and were really building up Froch and then.....nothing. They are a joke.

I doubt we'll see much boxing on terrestrial TV again. The people who run the show just want reality shite until that bubble bursts, then they'll find another load of rubbish to waste our money on. The BBC only want the football rights because otherwise ITV would have it.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 25 Apr 2005, 18:47

I cannot see a new BBC director changing making a U turn if I am honest. Unless he is a fan of the Sport, look at the figures and it doesn't bode well for the BBC.

Harrison's figures generally declined over his fights.

The Hennessey lads and Woods fight, nothing spectacular viewing figures.

The new chief of the Beeb will look at those figures and see that it didn't work. Unless he realises that it was the presentation/time slot and not the sport that didn't work.

If you look at it the two biggest rating success have been Amir Khan's Olympic success and Audley Harrison's Olympic success - Audley's pro career did nothing, suggesting that there is a bigger audience for Amateur than pro boxing (and it is cheaper to obtain the rights). Now, I know that is surely bollocks and the rest of us know that aswell, but will the new chief?

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 25 Apr 2005, 19:08

err, you don't think that might be anything to do with the fact that everyone watches the olympics?

christ, during the olympics people watch fornicating curling, rowing, dressage, fencing, just about anything. They'd probably watch olympic bloody window cleaning if britain had a sodding representative.

take away the potential of an olympic medal involving an English participant at a major global multi-sport competition and the interest is bugger all.

Let's see how many viewers they would have got it amir had been fighting at the amateur world championships, fornicate all is my guess, unless it was a short slot on grandstand.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 26 Apr 2005, 04:46

If I remember rightly, Khan's fight with Evans achieved a good rating.

Like I said, my previous post is looking at it from the point of view of strickly ratings - no why is this case?

I know if you have Woods vs Calzaghe with good presentation (maybe with two fighting on the same bill - not against each other beforehand) then that would achieve a good rating, like I know Harrison vs Williams would have achieved a good rating - but I have no concrete proof that this would happen. Infact, there is a stronger case against it getting a good rating.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 26 Apr 2005, 04:56

Yes, but by then, Khan had become a superstar by dint of the Olympics. Audley got sensational ratings to start with when he turned professional, but after that, you have to have something to keep people coming back, not everyone likes boxing, but every likes an olympic medal winner. So once they turn pro it's not so easy.

I also think that if you are showing fights during the massive swathe of Saturday afternoon sport on TV, then you are far more likely to get good ratings, as people tend to plonk themselves in front of the TV, and sit through the entire schedule.

It's another matter entirely, getting someone to give up their Friday or saturday night piss up to watch a boxing match. I'm a fan, and even I'm not prepared to give up every night out on a friday to watch the boxing.