Hatton gives Sky a blast

[dondada]

http://news.boxrec.com/news/2012/ricky- ... sky-sports

I do hope they do the usual ring apron interviews on June 16th!

[smoggy7188]

Telling him through email is shocking if you ask me. Says alot about the people at sky.

[Final round]

Slimey moves by Sky after all Hatton has been through over the years with the channel.

I hope they get a deal somewhere soon. His stable has been a welcome addition on the scene with some excellent fights been made.

[Jeff Thomas]

It's seems a silly move hatton promotions do tend to deliver even if they treated kenny just the same

[black panther]

Love to get comment from Adam Smith on the split. Sky used to have so much variety of promoters and all the big fights. Gone downhill in my eyes.

[Dan Dares]

Like most, I'd be interested to know the cold, hard reasons Sky have for giving Hatton the elbow.

Was the decision made after Crolla and Askin lost?

[whiskey]

I bet Ricky wants to let both barrels go... But might be restrained for fear of burning bridges.

I wouldn't blame him though, all these ringside show appearances for him, his fighters... Only last week a feature on Quigg vs Rendall in the miniature ring.

I wonder what all these 20+ dates that have been slashed, will be replaced with. Some shocking rugby magazine show or something I imagine.

[IRLangmaid25]

Perhaps Sky are trying to save money with the fortune that they have put out in for creating a channel for Formula 1 for which that they have got the live broadcast rights until 2018 could be a contributing factor for this decision because Ecclestone has probably utterly milked them for all he can knowing that Sky are a pay television network. However it is pretty terrible treatment from Sky towards a guy who has generated considerable revenue for them in advertising and Pay-Per-View buys during his career as a fighter and was providing them with good competitive bills showcasing the best of British boxing talent in my eyes, and I am sure we all hope that Hatton Promotions gets a good television deal somewhere (possibly Channel 5) to showcase all their fighters.

[stujones]

Being excruciatingly pedantic, Ricky wasn't the first British World champion with no Terrestial TV exposure before - there were a quite a few actually before him - Paul Ingle, Scott Harrison to name two..... but off course I know what he meant, first STAR without terrestial TV exposure.

[Deserter]

If I'm running a business and the CEO of one of our suppliers is replaced by someone who isn't really up to the job in terms of experience, public profile and business acumen, and I have alternative suppliers who are more experienced in this field, who I already work with across a number of sectors etc, then quite frankly I'd be inclined to use this guy far less and place more business with the other guys who I already know I can work with effectively and productively.

Pure speculation on my part, but when you try and view this situation through the prism outlined above, then it's surely easier to understand Sky's approach (doesn't mean I agree with the way they've handled it)?

What everyone seems to be dancing around is that the decision to make Ricky CEO of HP seems driven by the need to give him structure and meaning in his life, rather than because he's got the talent and skill-set to drive the business forward in a challenging environment. Admirable from an emotional perspective, foolish when judged from a rational business perspective.

[twenty six]

IR,
Sky aren't trying to save money.
As I understand it, their budget remains unchanged, which means the payment to the Promotor increases per show, because the number of shows decreases.
In other words increase the quality but keep the cost constant.
They want proper meaningful shows - end of. I think the Brook v Hatton is the sort of bench mark they are setting, with one every two weeks.
Now having said that can Matchroom deliver that on 20 occasions ?
That's a tough ask which makes the decision to drop HP even more baffling.
Maybe they were convinced that HP would be prepared to Co Promote with Matchroom.
If so it seems the plan has backfired.
I hate monopolies in any walk of life.
I know it's an old cliche but all your eggs in one basket is dangerous and as I've said before we've almost been in a similar position with Sky with a certain other Promotor, and we ended up with tail wagging dog. You would think they had learned their lesson but clearly smooth Eddie has put forward a compelling argument - unless of course Sky overall need to keep him sweet with everything else they're involved in.
Let's wait and see where HP surfaces - which it has to, or it can't survive.

[Gazmac81]

Ricky just needs to announce a comeback and hell get his dates with someone

[twenty six]

Why didn't I think of that ?
Maybe a joint venture with Prince Promotions ?

[Ezzard]

Feel sorry for Ricky.

Nobody in TV delivers bad news. He’s lucky to have even got an email.

[TheCobra]

Horrible slimy world the world of tv/media, music as well is the same as I have been in that industry for a few years.

They've properly stabbed Ricky in the back here, I thought HP was progressing nicely, they set out on a journey and they were probably about halfway down the road.

I still see this as another sign that Sky are pulling out of boxing at grass roots level, i.e. not gona show as many British titles from Oldham/Harvey Hadden/insert other leisure centre etc. That was one of the main pulls for me when I got into boxing, I love the small hall shows, they are where a lot of the real action happens. And if the sacrifice has been made so we can have 6-8 Prizefighters every season, then it's all the more disappointing for real boxing fans.

As others have said, monopolies never really work out.

[greenyox3]

I may be putting 2 + 2 together and getting 5....but Hatton has suddenly popped up on Channel 456's Facebook page giving comments on Mayweather v Cotto.

[leforge]

I may be putting 2 + 2 together and getting 5....but Hatton has suddenly popped up on Channel 456's Facebook page giving comments on Mayweather v Cotto.

2&2 I reckon. That would be last resort as they wont get paid very much to put on shows by that channel.

[saturday_kid]

Horrible slimy world the world of tv/media, music as well is the same as I have been in that industry for a few years.

They've properly stabbed Ricky in the back here, I thought HP was progressing nicely, they set out on a journey and they were probably about halfway down the road.

I still see this as another sign that Sky are pulling out of boxing at grass roots level, i.e. not gona show as many British titles from Oldham/Harvey Hadden/insert other leisure centre etc. That was one of the main pulls for me when I got into boxing, I love the small hall shows, they are where a lot of the real action happens. And if the sacrifice has been made so we can have 6-8 Prizefighters every season, then it's all the more disappointing for real boxing fans.

As others have said, monopolies never really work out.

Exactly I agree I prefer those sort of shows than the big Brook/Hatton type bills or Prizefighter.

I like Hearn, and am impressed with what he's done but i'm a little worried the whole Matchroom/Darts/Froch/Brook/Barker bandwagon is aimed more at the casuals

[digzee]

Funny timing this as for the last couple of months all we've heard from Adam Smith is about how the boxing fraternity is like a tight knit family, well if thats how he treats his family then goodluck to them...

[dondada]

Funny timing this as for the last couple of months all we've heard from Adam Smith is about how the boxing fraternity is like a tight knit family, well if thats how he treats his family then goodluck to them...

HP received the email from Barney Francis, not Adam Smith...Smith might not have wanted this to happen, who knows?

[JamesH]

That's a mighty fine post Tel, I tip my hat (where is the feckin smiley for that?)

[JamesH]

Oh I salute you for that mate, or I would if I could just find the.......

Nevermind

[twenty six]

Looking forward to tomorrow's Press Conference ......... or then again maybe not ....
I assume Sky will be there even though it's to publicise the last show - 16-06-12.

[leforge]

Firstly, I think they should have kept Hatton on and just underlined the need for certain fights and bills, but if you look at it as a cold business decision there are reasons why this happened. Maybe Sky felt aggrieved when they last signed them to a deal as they had convinced themselves Hatton would return at some point. This is their own fault. Their other problem was the quality of fights and shows, once again they should make a few of these points in front of a mirror.

Yeah, the next HP show is brilliant, but Sky are used to boxing promoters putting on what they consider poor shows more often than not then putting out massive bills when they get close to contract renewal time. All the firms, in the main, are guilty of this. Look back over old shows and how strong they were in relation to the new contract being signed or as the grand unveiling after a new deal.

There's also the perceived instability of the organisation, with recent comings and goings plus the negative press from a few years ago.

In dropping HP and handing over all their boxing content to Matchroom A.N. Others Sky hope to creat stronger shows, and they can point to Hearn's bravery in pitching guys into big fights and a perception that HP were the stumbling blocks for Murray-Barker, Quigg-Frampton etc. plus the wait for Quigg-Munroe.

It all adds up to a business decision, one that I feel is wrong, but I can see the logic.

It leaves Hearn and Matchroom is a strong position, a monopoly on Sky, and this will mean some fights don't get made or go to purse bids and depending on who wins them the mandated fights will see a lot of withdrawals at strategic times and cause confusion as the Board won't and can't sanction people for pulling out of mandated fights.

Roll on five years and the sport will still be in a state. Hearn will probably be in a position of strength and his boxing platform will expand to include in-house legal representation etc. and we'll all be calling him a **** and blaiming him for ruining the game, which was in such rude health a few years previously, of course, and his forum name will Aleddily or something.

Similar to when Warren came in all fresh faced and displaced the status quo only this time with the Internet and l'ennui inducing examination of the minutiae this entails.

The problem with boxing, as I see it, is that it is full of people who love the sport and don't make money from it. Well, it appears that these well meaning altruists have struggled to create the desired Utopia so maybe we should hand it over to hard headed business men in one last bid to save it, because it has been dying since, like, the moment it was born, and shit.

Hatton will join Allegedly channel in my opinion. I hope it works out for him whatever he does.

Good post I think Warren channel would struggle to pay half the fee of sky. I think they get better offers.

[leforge]

Primetime have got the Bradley v Pacman fight.