Improving Sky's Coverage for the New Season

[nh1]

I’m aware there have been similar threads in the past, but this may be a good time to post a wish-list at the start of the new season to Sky in an effort to improve coverage.

Here’s mine: I’m sure with other posters’ help we’ll end up with a good list:

(1) Just warn viewers at the start of the show that there may be swearing (if you must: although why that’s necessary when the boxing is generally on pretty late I don’t know). Please don’t apologize every time someone swears between rounds;

(2) Let us listen to what the corners are saying between rounds rather than talking over them;

(3) If a British fighter is fighting someone who will be talking in another language with his team between rounds, provide an interpreter so we know what the other corner are saying;

(4) No ad breaks between rounds;

(5) Please show more undercard fights—and show them in full. If only a couple of rounds are shown we’ve no way of judging if a contentious score is right or not.

I know at least some of the Sky team (like Ed Robinson and Bob Mee) browse these boards, so perhaps this thread won’t be in vain…

[wrimc]

The one thing and I think this would improve coverage immensely including viewing figures.

We had a cracking fight to start the season in Stuart Hall V Jamie McDonnell triple championship match.

BUT

The real start to the season and what viewers who tuned into watch the boxing were forced to suffer through was 8 rounds of Tony Jeffries sending everybody to sleep. How many people tuned in to watch the boxing then turned off after a few rounds of watching Jeffries? It can't be good for the viewing figures

Why don't Sky open with the main event then after show the highlights of the best of the undercard. It gives fighters the incentive to perform well with the chance of being shown on tv and gives more scope for giving a wider variety of prospects exposure rather than the usual suspects. The only reason a support fight should be broadcast live is because it has genuine intrigue. Otherwise its just prospect v journeyman in often an uninspiring opening to the show.

[nh1]

The real start to the season and what viewers who tuned into watch the boxing were forced to suffer through was 8 rounds of Tony Jeffries sending everybody to sleep. Why don't Sky open with the main event then after show the highlights of the best of the undercard.

Yes, we were served up a dire performance from Jeffries and missed Carl Johanneson.

I know who I'd rather watch!

[freddydoesdallas]

Completely agree with the swearing part. The fights are on after 9pm and the fellas in the ring are actually fighting, they're not playing snooker, darts, football they are punching each other in the head and hard! Let them turn the air blue and stop apologising for it

More live action if possible would be good. I'd like to see as many live fights from a card as possible and if not live then at least full replays as the night goes on.

Also, 1 presenter, 2 pundits and one roving ringside reporter.

[nh1]

Completely agree with the swearing part. The fights are on after 9pm and the fellas in the ring are actually fighting, they're not playing snooker, darts, football they are punching each other in the head and hard! Let them turn the air blue and stop apologising for it

Just an aside on the swearing issue. When I was watching Zaveck getting stopped and his 'Fuckfuckfuck!!!!!' tirade on Premier Sports last weekend (with a Showtime feed), I noticed how the American broadcasters only said something along the lines of 'He's clearly upset'. There was no talking over him; no attempt to take away the sound feed; and no apologising.

If commentators in that most conservative of countries can do this, why can't they in the UK?

[Horse]

More live action if possible would be good. I'd like to see as many live fights from a card as possible and if not live then at least full replays as the night goes on.

They should only show undercard fights live if they are good fights on paper.

Jeffries against that guy last night looked like a weak fight on paper and it turned out to be even worse. Nothing on that undercard should have been shown live.

[Glyn Leach]

(1) Just warn viewers at the start of the show that there may be swearing (if you must: although why that’s necessary when the boxing is generally on pretty late I don’t know). Please don’t apologize every time someone swears between rounds;

(2) Let us listen to what the corners are saying between rounds rather than talking over them;

(3) If a British fighter is fighting someone who will be talking in another language with his team between rounds, provide an interpreter so we know what the other corner are saying;

(4) No ad breaks between rounds;

(5) Please show more undercard fights—and show them in full. If only a couple of rounds are shown we’ve no way of judging if a contentious score is right or not.

In total agreement with these points

[Russ L]

If only a couple of rounds are shown we’ve no way of judging if a contentious score is right or not.

This is a big one for me. I'm not at all keen on the clipped fights.

[pyenest77]

A few relevant points here for me. Firstly nothing worse than any TV company showing a few rounds of a fight particularly when they have spent 15 minutes talking about what could happen!!!

Too many presenters but all yes men. A constructive viewpoint once in a while would be good.

Chief support of prospect v no chance of winning. Surely the proviso should be that they are on Sky so they meet a live opponent.

Main events I think on the whole are quite good, but I disagree with putting it on before the chief support as that would literally kill the event for the fans that are watching it in the arena.

[dbf]

(1) Just warn viewers at the start of the show that there may be swearing (if you must: although why that’s necessary when the boxing is generally on pretty late I don’t know). Please don’t apologize every time someone swears between rounds;

(2) Let us listen to what the corners are saying between rounds rather than talking over them;

(3) If a British fighter is fighting someone who will be talking in another language with his team between rounds, provide an interpreter so we know what the other corner are saying;

(4) No ad breaks between rounds;

(5) Please show more undercard fights—and show them in full. If only a couple of rounds are shown we’ve no way of judging if a contentious score is right or not.

In total agreement with these points

I think so too. Also scrap the studio presentation - Just do it from ringside like HBO with The main commentator as presenter - Darke/Smith with Watt and perhaps Mcory. Ed in the ring or by side interviewing and doing backstage.

[JC]

Why don't Sky open with the main event then after show the highlights of the best of the undercard. It gives fighters the incentive to perform well with the chance of being shown on tv and gives more scope for giving a wider variety of prospects exposure rather than the usual suspects. The only reason a support fight should be broadcast live is because it has genuine intrigue. Otherwise its just prospect v journeyman in often an uninspiring opening to the show.

I like to see at least the main support bout live before getting to the main event.

[pyenest77]

If only a couple of rounds are shown we’ve no way of judging if a contentious score is right or not.

This is a big one for me. I'm not at all keen on the clipped fights.

Same here but i'd rather see something as opposed to nothing...

If I think that I am getting clipped highlights I would rather watch nothing then have a look through youtube for the whole fight.

[orbtastic]

The weird thing for subscribers is you can go online and watch/download just the fight from a 2-3 hour broadcast, so why can't you do it for all the other fights that are clearly being taped? Ok, so someone has to work with the broadcast and edit it but that's what we're paying them for. My SKY sub's not dropped in price, it's not cheap. I get 2-3 hours boxing a week if I'm lucky.

I have to resort to getting hold of a Polesat broadcast for UC fights, who just use the SKY feed. It's daft.

[freddydoesdallas]

Same here but i'd rather see something as opposed to nothing...

If I think that I am getting claipped highlights & would rather watch nothing then have a look through youtube for the whole fight.

Fair enough.

Ideally you don't want to have to wait until the video is uploaded though - why don't Sky just show the full fights via the red button?? surely that must be possible in this day and age.

I'd like to see sky make use of the old red button facility. I think it would be a cracking option for the big fights too. There will be a lot of casual fans who just want the main event and that's it but there's a lot of people who'd like to see more especially if they've paid. If on the next PPV they said they were bringing in this facility i'd be much more inclined to buy

[kevo]

I(1) Just warn viewers at the start of the show that there may be swearing (if you must: although why that’s necessary when the boxing is generally on pretty late I don’t know). Please don’t apologize every time someone swears between rounds;

X 1,000,000

[leforge]

Honestly who is worried about swearing its 2011 ! Sky treat people as grown ups!

[smcb80]

I can live with ad breaks in every round if it's not PPV, it'll give them the money to make the best match-ups.

Delayed coverage of US fights, every sunday morning would be perfect. Was the Berto fight from the weekend on any UK channel? Will Cotto - Margarito? These fights should be on a sunday, if not Sky then ESPN. With Sky being so tight with HBO these days you'd think a deal could be cut.

[wrimc]

Why don't Sky open with the main event then after show the highlights of the best of the undercard. It gives fighters the incentive to perform well with the chance of being shown on tv and gives more scope for giving a wider variety of prospects exposure rather than the usual suspects. The only reason a support fight should be broadcast live is because it has genuine intrigue. Otherwise its just prospect v journeyman in often an uninspiring opening to the show.

I like to see at least the main support bout live before getting to the main event.

I see your point ideally i agree but not when it is not a fight of worth. Jeffries v Morby is not a fight that interests me and these generally are the type of fight we are given as support. If the support fight is a decent one then yes of course show it first Jeffries Quigley would have been fine. Boring prospect v journeyman fights however only turn people off the boxing.

[whiskey]

Id prefer a fan zone.

Where you can press RED and then they could have two industry type or two hardcore fans calling the action.

Rather than negatron colouring the action with his glass half-empty approach.

[FIGHTFANs]

Put ed Robinson in Glenn McClory job that man is a joke about time we had a change,

[handsofstone]

yeh the Berto Zaveck fight was on Premier Sports live if a fights not on Sky try that channel 433 ive got Virgin Media and you dont get Prem so have to watch it at my mums Sky,Prem Sports,Primetime, Eurosport and channel 5 is the only place to watch live boxing in Britain these days