Is boxing overpriced?

[earsjohn]

I see that the cheapest tickets for saturdays Copperbox show are £40 and I would describe the card as domestic level at best. That seems alarmingly poor value, particularly in relation to other entertainment options. A quick scan of other things going on on saturday night shows the following:

UK Championship Snooker (Barbican, York) - All tickets £15
West Ham v Fulham (Premier League Football) - Tickets from £42 for non-members; £24 for concessions; kids for a quid
Charlton v Ipswich (Championship Football) - Tickets from £15 to £26 with reducing rates for various concessions down to £10 for u-18 and £5 for u-11
Saracens v Sale (Rugby Union Premiership) - £15 to £68 depending on where you sit, when and how you book. Under 16s free with a full paying adult.
Australia v New Zealand (Rugby League World Cup Final, Old Trafford) - Adult tickets £30; concessions £15

Other, non-sporting events also seem to be more competitive in their pricing....

Wicked (West End Show) - Tickets available from £28
Reginald D Hunter (Comedian) at the Hammersmith Apollo - £21 - £23
Simple Minds (supported by Ultravox) at the O2 - £39.50 - £55

Is a card that features Chisora against a no-hoper, Buglioni against another no-hoper and a competitive, if likely dull, English title bout between Lynes and Skeete deserving of pricing alongside a Premier League derby and legendary 80s music in Europes top indoor venue?

I don't think Saturdays card is unique, so this is not a dig at Warren, as I think Boxing generally is an expensive sport to attend live. If the card was priced at, say, £20, how many more people would be tempted? £20 is an amount worth splashing out on a night that you might not enjoy; £40 is harder to justify.

[spudder56]

I wait for the day you become a promotor mate if you can do tickets at 20 quid anybody who did that would only ever do one show and that would be it

[danamba7]

Depends on the card. Froch V Bute cost me £50 then I lost the ticket on out in Notts that day, bought another from a tout for £55, ended up going back to my original seat with mates anyway which happened to be back row but turned out to be the best £105 I've spent. Great fight, great atmosphere. Would pick that over paying £40 for dull premier league atmospheres any day.

[Parson Cross]

Earsjohn,
How much do you think it costs to stage a show such as the one at Copperbox ?
Start with 18 purses.

[earsjohn]

I posted this as a paying customer and not a prospective promoter. It just seems that the price of attending boxing is not linked to the output in the same way as other "events". There doesn't seem to be much flexibility either, if a world title unification with one of the UKs best fighters of the last 10-15 years (Froch v Bute) is just £10 more than Chisora v Pala.

[danamba7]

I posted this as a paying customer and not a prospective promoter. It just seems that the price of attending boxing is not linked to the output in the same way as other "events". There doesn't seem to be much flexibility either, if a world title unification with one of the UKs best fighters of the last 10-15 years (Froch v Bute) is just £10 more than Chisora v Pala.

Yeah good point, doesn't scream value for money does it!

[bripez]

Earsjohn,
How much do you think it costs to stage a show such as the one at Copperbox ?
Start with 18 purses.

That is surely the promoters problem, not the punter ?

Also, I am sure that FW and Eddie etc. do well out of their business.

[spudder56]

Earsjohn,
How much do you think it costs to stage a show such as the one at Copperbox ?
Start with 18 purses.

That is surely the promoters problem, not the punter ?

Also, I am sure that FW and Eddie etc. do well out of their business.

Eddie does but only because of sky I doubt bunny is doing well but one thing is fore sure if he was doing tickets at 20 quid he would soon be skint IMO

[bigB]

I am supporting my local gym this weekend and tickets are £35.00 and this is for an area title. Your supporting the fighters you like. If not then watch it on TV if you can.

£40.00 is pretty standard pricing for a boxing show.

[n1ebf]

Other, non-sporting events also seem to be more competitive in their priIf the card was priced at, say, £20, how many more people would be tempted? £20 is an amount worth splashing out on a night that you might not enjoy; £40 is harder to justify.

I don't think £20 is enough. Especially for show in London. I know they aren't made to box but generally speaking I'd say there's a lot of blood, sweat, tears not to mention costs that go into being a boxer. I was paying £25 for local shows 10 years ago.

[jamesmcdonnell]

I see that the cheapest tickets for saturdays Copperbox show are £40 and I would describe the card as domestic level at best. That seems alarmingly poor value, particularly in relation to other entertainment options. A quick scan of other things going on on saturday night shows the following:

UK Championship Snooker (Barbican, York) - All tickets £15
West Ham v Fulham (Premier League Football) - Tickets from £42 for non-members; £24 for concessions; kids for a quid
Charlton v Ipswich (Championship Football) - Tickets from £15 to £26 with reducing rates for various concessions down to £10 for u-18 and £5 for u-11
Saracens v Sale (Rugby Union Premiership) - £15 to £68 depending on where you sit, when and how you book. Under 16s free with a full paying adult.
Australia v New Zealand (Rugby League World Cup Final, Old Trafford) - Adult tickets £30; concessions £15

Other, non-sporting events also seem to be more competitive in their pricing....

Wicked (West End Show) - Tickets available from £28
Reginald D Hunter (Comedian) at the Hammersmith Apollo - £21 - £23
Simple Minds (supported by Ultravox) at the O2 - £39.50 - £55

Is a card that features Chisora against a no-hoper, Buglioni against another no-hoper and a competitive, if likely dull, English title bout between Lynes and Skeete deserving of pricing alongside a Premier League derby and legendary 80s music in Europes top indoor venue?

I don't think Saturdays card is unique, so this is not a dig at Warren, as I think Boxing generally is an expensive sport to attend live. If the card was priced at, say, £20, how many more people would be tempted? £20 is an amount worth splashing out on a night that you might not enjoy; £40 is harder to justify.

Would never work at that Price, only on very low rung shows with journeymen on them. The fighters want paying well, the promoters and managers want to make money, the cornermen, refs, and judges all have to be paid, the venue has to be hired.

It could only work, if boxing had the kind of TV money that football has, or an overriding governing body negotiating such things on it's behalf.

If fighters were paid less, they would just go into other less dangerous sports, at least those at the top level. I'm the likes of Floyd mayweather were good at other sports too, but boxing is still the biggest earner in terms of individual participants making money aside from maybe golf, but golf is far less accessible for most people.

I do agree that in relative terms boxing is pretty pricey to attend live, but I don't see how the economics would work to make it much cheaper.

[earsjohn]

All of the justifications are coming from the supply side (costs of staging events, effort input by boxers, historic precedent), but I was trying to put the viewpoint of the consumer. I appreciate all of the points made, and people will be understandably willing to pay more for local shows and those featuring people they know, but if I was looking to do something in London on Saturday, from the options listed, the Boxing comes pretty low down. A lower price point (remember that £40 is the cheapest ticket), would encourage more people like me to attend (and spend at the venue, buy merchandise, return to a pricier show).

As a consumer, I don't (and shouldn't have to) care about the Promoter receiving a sufficient piece of the pie, so using that as a justification for an average night of boxing costing at least twice the price of the Rugby League World Cup Final seems off.

[bripez]

All of the justifications are coming from the supply side (costs of staging events, effort input by boxers, historic precedent), but I was trying to put the viewpoint of the consumer. I appreciate all of the points made, and people will be understandably willing to pay more for local shows and those featuring people they know, but if I was looking to do something in London on Saturday, from the options listed, the Boxing comes pretty low down. A lower price point (remember that £40 is the cheapest ticket), would encourage more people like me to attend (and spend at the venue, buy merchandise, return to a pricier show).

As a consumer, I don't (and shouldn't have to) care about the Promoter receiving a sufficient piece of the pie, so using that as a justification for an average night of boxing costing at least twice the price of the Rugby League World Cup Final seems off.

I agree with you.

It seems that nobody else on the forum understands the question.

[lefty]

I see that the cheapest tickets for saturdays Copperbox show are £40 and I would describe the card as domestic level at best. That seems alarmingly poor value, particularly in relation to other entertainment options. A quick scan of other things going on on saturday night shows the following:

UK Championship Snooker (Barbican, York) - All tickets £15
West Ham v Fulham (Premier League Football) - Tickets from £42 for non-members; £24 for concessions; kids for a quid
Charlton v Ipswich (Championship Football) - Tickets from £15 to £26 with reducing rates for various concessions down to £10 for u-18 and £5 for u-11
Saracens v Sale (Rugby Union Premiership) - £15 to £68 depending on where you sit, when and how you book. Under 16s free with a full paying adult.
Australia v New Zealand (Rugby League World Cup Final, Old Trafford) - Adult tickets £30; concessions £15

Other, non-sporting events also seem to be more competitive in their pricing....

Wicked (West End Show) - Tickets available from £28
Reginald D Hunter (Comedian) at the Hammersmith Apollo - £21 - £23
Simple Minds (supported by Ultravox) at the O2 - £39.50 - £55

Is a card that features Chisora against a no-hoper, Buglioni against another no-hoper and a competitive, if likely dull, English title bout between Lynes and Skeete deserving of pricing alongside a Premier League derby and legendary 80s music in Europes top indoor venue?

I don't think Saturdays card is unique, so this is not a dig at Warren, as I think Boxing generally is an expensive sport to attend live. If the card was priced at, say, £20, how many more people would be tempted? £20 is an amount worth splashing out on a night that you might not enjoy; £40 is harder to justify.

Would never work at that Price, only on very low rung shows with journeymen on them. The fighters want paying well, the promoters and managers want to make money, the cornermen, refs, and judges all have to be paid, the venue has to be hired.

It could only work, if boxing had the kind of TV money that football has, or an overriding governing body negotiating such things on it's behalf.

If fighters were paid less, they would just go into other less dangerous sports, at least those at the top level. I'm the likes of Floyd mayweather were good at other sports too, but boxing is still the biggest earner in terms of individual participants making money aside from maybe golf, but golf is far less accessible for most people.

I do agree that in relative terms boxing is pretty pricey to attend live, but I don't see how the economics would work to make it much cheaper.

Economics dictates all of that though. Boxers can say they want to be paid well but if the demand isnt there for tickets at a certain price it ends up being a case of either drop your asking price or dont do it all. There's no such thing in life as saying I want such and such, unless you're in significant demand.

[Parson Cross]

Oh dear Earsjohn.
For the avoidance of doubt boxing is a business.
Let's just tell the Promotors that trying to make a profit is out of order and they should bring us the best that money can buy but for twenty quid a ticket.
Better still lets tell the lower end undercard fighters that they should consider it a privilege to be demonstrating their abilities in front of a packed house and do it for nothing.
Give me 40 quid any time to watch nine fights than 40 quid to watch some ponsy footballers writhing in agony for ninety minutes when someone tickles them.
You have the ultimate power - don't go ! Stay in wash your hair or watch Strictly dancing. That's cheap.

[earsjohn]

Oh dear Earsjohn.
For the avoidance of doubt boxing is a business.
Let's just tell the Promotors that trying to make a profit is out of order and they should bring us the best that money can buy but for twenty quid a ticket.
Better still lets tell the lower end undercard fighters that they should consider it a privilege to be demonstrating their abilities in front of a packed house and do it for nothing.
Give me 40 quid any time to watch nine fights than 40 quid to watch some ponsy footballers writhing in agony for ninety minutes when someone tickles them.
You have the ultimate power - don't go ! Stay in wash your hair or watch Strictly dancing. That's cheap.

Indeed, I and other consumers have the ultimate power and this will surely be demonstrated on Saturday (for example) when the numbers willing to fork out £40 and more to watch what is being offered will struggle to reach 4 figures. (Those poncy footballers will play to an audience 30k who come back every single week).

My question was more around attracting new and partially interested fans rather than the likes of you who are willing to pay a premium for your 'love of the game'.

Apologies for trying to generate a genuine discussion around what I consider should be an important topic.

[lefty]

Oh dear Earsjohn.
For the avoidance of doubt boxing is a business.
Let's just tell the Promotors that trying to make a profit is out of order and they should bring us the best that money can buy but for twenty quid a ticket.
Better still lets tell the lower end undercard fighters that they should consider it a privilege to be demonstrating their abilities in front of a packed house and do it for nothing.
Give me 40 quid any time to watch nine fights than 40 quid to watch some ponsy footballers writhing in agony for ninety minutes when someone tickles them.
You have the ultimate power - don't go ! Stay in wash your hair or watch Strictly dancing. That's cheap.

Indeed, I and other consumers have the ultimate power and this will surely be demonstrated on Saturday (for example) when the numbers willing to fork out £40 and more to watch what is being offered will struggle to reach 4 figures. (Those poncy footballers will play to an audience 30k who come back every single week).

My question was more around attracting new and partially interested fans rather than the likes of you who are willing to pay a premium for your 'love of the game'.

Apologies for trying to generate a genuine discussion around what I consider should be an important topic.

Parson's has an involvement in the business side of the sport, hence his viewpoint.

[earsjohn]

Oh dear Earsjohn.
For the avoidance of doubt boxing is a business.
Let's just tell the Promotors that trying to make a profit is out of order and they should bring us the best that money can buy but for twenty quid a ticket.
Better still lets tell the lower end undercard fighters that they should consider it a privilege to be demonstrating their abilities in front of a packed house and do it for nothing.
Give me 40 quid any time to watch nine fights than 40 quid to watch some ponsy footballers writhing in agony for ninety minutes when someone tickles them.
You have the ultimate power - don't go ! Stay in wash your hair or watch Strictly dancing. That's cheap.

Indeed, I and other consumers have the ultimate power and this will surely be demonstrated on Saturday (for example) when the numbers willing to fork out £40 and more to watch what is being offered will struggle to reach 4 figures. (Those poncy footballers will play to an audience 30k who come back every single week).

My question was more around attracting new and partially interested fans rather than the likes of you who are willing to pay a premium for your 'love of the game'.

Apologies for trying to generate a genuine discussion around what I consider should be an important topic.

Parson's has an involvement in the business side of the sport, hence his viewpoint.

In which case I'd expect him to be a little more appreciative of some of the points being raised, rather than taking the "this is how it's always been done, if you don't like it, eff off" approach that stems from a prior generation.

[JimJim2009]

Earsjohn,
How much do you think it costs to stage a show such as the one at Copperbox ?
Start with 18 purses.

Parson, what if the fighters on that show aren't getting paid ?

And if the show is costed accordingly when big names / solid match ups are the show's attraction, and the paying fans end up with a wbo europe fight instead, I don't see the promoter reducing the tickets along the way.

I agree with the opening poster, about ticket prices. I also appreciate its a business. The comparison with football is that if you buy a ticket to see Man United vs Arsenal, that's what you get on the day, you don't get Man United vs Acrrington Stanley, or Accrington Stanley vs Ossett Town.

This promoter launched this Copperbox show with talk of Billie Joe Saunders and Derek Chisora in meaningful fights. What we've got is a load of rubbish.

I have no problem with any promoter costing a show, adding in his overheads and profit, and charging accordingly, and if that means fifty quid for a cheap seat, so be it - as a consumer i make a decision and either the wallet comes out or it doesn't.

The issue with this promoter is he promises lamb and delivers mutton these days.

[Parson Cross]

You seem to think that I am a fan of Wazzas and that I'm defending him.
On the basis that I am banned from his shows that should clear that one up.
I don't want to get into any debates about his business practices. I have a view and that is probably the same as 90% of posters.

[lefty]

You seem to think that I am a fan of Wazzas and that I'm defending him.
On the basis that I am banned from his shows that should clear that one up.
I don't want to get into any debates about his business practices. I have a view and that is probably the same as 90% of posters.

Is that because you wouldnt offer him a cut for your dinner shows?

[Parson Cross]

Sorry I don't get that one. I don't do dinner shows.

[lefty]

Sorry I don't get that one. I don't do dinner shows.

Ok. Your "events" where you have boxers speak and you consume a meal in return for monies.

[Alba]

Do we think that boxing has room for more tickets varying, would you think that a family ticket deal would be a good incentive to the fans ? but i cant see it working from the promoters perspective though

[lefty]

Screw the promoters. As a boxing fan and not a promoter why should I care whether it's not what they want.