What does bigger UK PPV numbers, JC or Froch v Kessler?

[johnswan1]

Anybody know what the final PPV number was in the UK for JC-Kessler and how it compares to the target buys for Froch-Kessler?

JC-Kessler featured two undefeated fighters, fighting for the WBO, WBC, WBA & Ring belts and took place at the Millennium Stadium.

Froch-Kessler is a rematch of two twice beaten fighters fighting for the IBF and WBA belts, but effectively to be named the no.2 man in the division.

Has Froch finally reached a level of popularity on a par with other UK PPV stars of recent times, or does he still lag behind them?

Calzaghe had an entire country behind him, whereas Froch will really only have the full attention of Nottingham.

Even though I would much rather watch Froch-Kessler, I'd imagine the PPV numbers will be significantly less.

[chad]

Joe Calzaghe Vs. Kessler wasn't PPV. It was on Setanta Sports.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tv_and_ ... 090362.stm

"A decade at the top was capped with Calzaghe's defeat of WBA and WBC super middleweight champion Mikkel Kessler in front of 50,000 Welsh fans at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

Calzaghe's win was initially shown live in the early hours of 3 November on satellite channel Setanta, where an estimated 300,000 viewers tuned in.

And his triumph reached a wider audience on Saturday afternoon, when a peak audience of 1.8m saw a replay of the bout on BBC One."

Froch Vs. Kessler on Primetime only got 50,000 buys.

http://www.boxingnews24.com/2011/04/kha ... etime-ppv/

[jessi]

I reckon the Froch v Kessler fight will break uk ppv records !
Styles
Rematch (after cracking 1st fight)
Both likable
Demand for tickets
Sky really advertising this
Plus it's on after the champions league final (lots of merry viewers)

[MarkMcBurney]

Well one thing is for sure - Calzaghe v Kessler didn't sell tickets in half as quick time.

[jessi]

Well one thing is for sure - Calzaghe v Kessler didn't sell tickets in half as quick time.

Wasn't that at a 50,000 seater though ?

[MarkMcBurney]

Well one thing is for sure - Calzaghe v Kessler didn't sell tickets in half as quick time.

Wasn't that at a 50,000 seater though ?

Correct, but it didn't sell 20,000 in the first day, did it?

[mickey1975]

I reckon the Froch v Kessler fight will break uk ppv records !
Styles
Rematch (after cracking 1st fight)
Both likable
Demand for tickets
Sky really advertising this
Plus it's on after the champions league final (lots of merry viewers)

It won't even get near Hatton-Mayweather

[chad]

I reckon the Froch v Kessler fight will break uk ppv records !

I just can't see it personally.

[brian13]

I reckon the Froch v Kessler fight will break uk ppv records !
Styles
Rematch (after cracking 1st fight)
Both likable
Demand for tickets
Sky really advertising this
Plus it's on after the champions league final (lots of merry viewers)

It won't even get near Hatton-Mayweather

This exactly. Froch / Kessler will do big numbers but it will easily fall short of being the biggest UK PPV ever.

[jessi]

I reckon the Froch v Kessler fight will break uk ppv records !
Styles
Rematch (after cracking 1st fight)
Both likable
Demand for tickets
Sky really advertising this
Plus it's on after the champions league final (lots of merry viewers)

It won't even get near Hatton-Mayweather

This exactly. Froch / Kessler will do big numbers but it will easily fall short of being the biggest UK PPV ever.

To be honest I forgot that one, I was thinking haye/Harrison was number 1, I still think there's a good chance though, the time of the fight is perfect for ppv, the hatton mayweather fight was still for the hardcore considering the time IMO !

[mickey1975]

Hatton-Mayweather was a crossover fight. Cast your mind back to 2007... Pre-Credit Crunch, two undefeated fighters, one a household name, boy next door, fan friendly Brit going for the genuine best fighter in the world title. Even where I live, several pubs were advertising this fight despite it kicking off at 4.30am. Froch-Kessler is big fight amongst boxing fans and Sky Sports viewers in general who have watched the build up. I would be surprised if it got into the top five of PPV's. Remember all the Naz fights? Tyson-Bruno, Lewis etc?

[expe]

I reckon the Froch v Kessler fight will break uk ppv records !
Styles
Rematch (after cracking 1st fight)
Both likable
Demand for tickets
Sky really advertising this
Plus it's on after the champions league final (lots of merry viewers)

It won't even get near Hatton-Mayweather

How many did Hatton-Mayweather do?

[desperados]

I think Froch has had better exposure in his career than Calzaghe had. I certainly think Froch-Kessler 2 is more anticipated than Calzaghe-Kessler was - thinkign in terms of the casual fans. They probably hadn't heard of Kessler pre-Calzaghe. Now he's been around for years and already had a fight with Froch and seems to live on Sky Sports news/ringside/SkyNews etc... for the build up for this one.

[MR T]

IMO froch has just not really crossed over to the general public which is a shame, I don't expect massive ppv numbers

[Happy Slapper]

I reckon the Froch v Kessler fight will break uk ppv records !
Styles
Rematch (after cracking 1st fight)
Both likable
Demand for tickets
Sky really advertising this
Plus it's on after the champions league final (lots of merry viewers)

Both likable? Carl Froch is the most arrogant, big-headed, smarmy man in the sport! I literally hate him. Kessler seems like a good egg though.

[chad]

I think Froch has had better exposure in his career than Calzaghe had. I certainly think Froch-Kessler 2 is more anticipated than Calzaghe-Kessler was - thinkign in terms of the casual fans. They probably hadn't heard of Kessler pre-Calzaghe. Now he's been around for years and already had a fight with Froch and seems to live on Sky Sports news/ringside/SkyNews etc... for the build up for this one.

I think Calzaghe has had much more exposure than Froch. Remember Calzaghe Vs. Lacy was huge. Whilst only 1.5 million people stayed up to watch the fight live on ITV at 2am, ITV repeated the fight 48 hours later to a larger audience due to demand. Joe also won the BBC Sports personality of year in 2008. Some of Froch's biggest fights weren't even televised live. Froch Vs. Taylor was shown by ITV the next night and the majority of his Super Six took place on Primetime.

When Joe faced Kessler both where undefeated, Joe was ranked #1 at the weight and Kessler #2. It really was a case of the best facing the best to unify the division. Froch Vs. Kessler II is a case of 2 guys who are probably past their prime, who couldn't beat the best man in their division, facing off in a potential retirement fund match. I have a feeling whoever loses this might not be seen in the ring again.

In 2007 Calzaghe Vs. Kessler simply had to happen. The best facing the best to be the best. Froch Vs. Kessler II doesn't really need to happen. It's not a fight anyone other than Froch was really demanding. I'll happily watch it but i know I won't have the same edge of my seat butterflies in my tummy feeling that i got watching Calzaghe Vs. Lacy or Calzaghe Vs. Kessler. It doesn't really bother me who wins Froch Vs. Kessler II, which seems to be the same view of many of my boxing chums. It's for this reason I can't see the PPV doing massive numbers. It's a fight people seem fairly passive about.

[whiskey]

Froch vs Bute smashed the non-PPV sky record to date.

[mickey1975]

Froch vs Bute smashed the non-PPV sky record to date.

A lot more people have Sky nowadays. How well do you think it will do?

[whiskey]

Froch vs Bute smashed the non-PPV sky record to date.

A lot more people have Sky nowadays. How well do you think it will do?

I think it will do really well Mickey.

Unsure it will match the behemoth that was Hatton vs Mayweather, which was like the biggest fight in a decade for the UK.

I suppose the fact that it's being aired at a reasonable hour won't do it much harm though.

[chad]

I think one thing that may hold casual fans back from buying the PPV will be the Champions League Final. With kick-off at 7:45pm the football could finish as late as 10:30pm, if it goes to extra time and penalties. How many casual boxing fans would be willing to pay £15.00 at 10:30pm without knowing if Froch Vs. Kessler has actually started yet? Imagine paying £15.00 and tuning in only to find out the fight started at 10:15pm and ended in the first round.

Ricky Hatton, one of our most popular British fighters ever, drew less than 100,000 PPV buys last year facing Senchenko. The fight got massive mainstream coverage. The British public knew he was coming back, knew the fight was PPV and knew which channel to watch the fight on but simply didn't buy the event. This was a fight where 18000 tickets were sold within 48 hours of them going on sale so it's not as if there was little to no interest.

I think PPV boxing might finally be dying here in the UK. More than ever £15.00 to watch a one off sports event on TV is a luxury item many households simply can't afford. I think the sales figures for Froch Vs. Kessler II will determine once and for all whether boxing has a PPV future on SKY.

How many PPV buys do people think Froch Vs. Kessler II needs to have to be a success? 500,000 and above?

[mickey1975]

Froch vs Bute smashed the non-PPV sky record to date.

A lot more people have Sky nowadays. How well do you think it will do?

I think it will do really well Mickey.

Unsure it will match the behemoth that was Hatton vs Mayweather, which was like the biggest fight in a decade for the UK.

I suppose the fact that it's being aired at a reasonable hour won't do it much harm though.

I agree it will do well. I was only taking to task the bloke who said biggest ever. Hatton was a once in a lifetime fighter as far as popularity goes. People will only appreciate that in twenty years time when still someone has not done what he did.

[desperados]

I think one thing that may hold casual fans back from buying the PPV will be the Champions League Final. With kick-off at 7:45pm the football could finish as late as 10:30pm, if it goes to extra time and penalties. How many casual boxing fans would be willing to pay £15.00 at 10:30pm without knowing if Froch Vs. Kessler has actually started yet? Imagine paying £15.00 and tuning in only to find out the fight started at 10:15pm and ended in the first round.

Ricky Hatton, one of our most popular British fighters ever, drew less than 100,000 PPV buys last year facing Senchenko. The fight got massive mainstream coverage. The British public knew he was coming back, knew the fight was PPV and knew which channel to watch the fight on but simply didn't buy the event. This was a fight where 18000 tickets were sold within 48 hours of them going on sale so it's not as if there was little to no interest.

I think PPV boxing might finally be dying here in the UK. More than ever £15.00 to watch a one off sports event on TV is a luxury item many households simply can't afford. I think the sales figures for Froch Vs. Kessler II will determine once and for all whether boxing has a PPV future on SKY.

How many PPV buys do people think Froch Vs. Kessler II needs to have to be a success? 500,000 and above?

500k seems massive. Whats the population of uk, 60m? Whats america, 400m or so? Yet fmj and pac fights draw 1m.

[expe]

I think one thing that may hold casual fans back from buying the PPV will be the Champions League Final. With kick-off at 7:45pm the football could finish as late as 10:30pm, if it goes to extra time and penalties. How many casual boxing fans would be willing to pay £15.00 at 10:30pm without knowing if Froch Vs. Kessler has actually started yet? Imagine paying £15.00 and tuning in only to find out the fight started at 10:15pm and ended in the first round.

Ricky Hatton, one of our most popular British fighters ever, drew less than 100,000 PPV buys last year facing Senchenko. The fight got massive mainstream coverage. The British public knew he was coming back, knew the fight was PPV and knew which channel to watch the fight on but simply didn't buy the event. This was a fight where 18000 tickets were sold within 48 hours of them going on sale so it's not as if there was little to no interest.

I think PPV boxing might finally be dying here in the UK. More than ever £15.00 to watch a one off sports event on TV is a luxury item many households simply can't afford. I think the sales figures for Froch Vs. Kessler II will determine once and for all whether boxing has a PPV future on SKY.

How many PPV buys do people think Froch Vs. Kessler II needs to have to be a success? 500,000 and above?

500k seems massive. Whats the population of uk, 60m? Whats america, 400m or so? Yet fmj and pac fights draw 1m.

Massive price difference though, £15 here and $50-70 over there.

[Khaosai-Galaxy]

Froch vs Bute smashed the non-PPV sky record to date.

No it didn't, that's simply not true.

It wasn't even in the top 10

[Khaosai-Galaxy]

I reckon the Froch v Kessler fight will break uk ppv records !
Styles
Rematch (after cracking 1st fight)
Both likable
Demand for tickets
Sky really advertising this
Plus it's on after the champions league final (lots of merry viewers)

Calm down, breathe and think about what you are saying.