The Boxing News Dilema

[dbflex]

I feel like every time there is a Boxing News thread I make the same points and putting your head above the parapet can be a thankless task. However, I believe it's important to be responsive, especially if people care enough to contribute to a thread about BN.

Simply put, BN does not see itself as a British magazine, a 'magazine' at all or the 'trade paper' and has not for some time now. BN and its owners, Newsquest, see us as a global brand encompassing the print magazine, website, social media, podcasts, events and digital magazines.

Therefore our content is designed to reflect that international, comprehensive concept and, crucially, to attract the most amount of paying customers possible. If BN had stayed the way it was and, it seems, how many of you guys want it to be, we would have remained a predominantly print-focused product for a niche market. Frankly, we'd not have survived a great deal longer and if you doubt my logic have a look at the recently sales figures of Boxing Monthly, The Ring etc. We are fortunate that while print sales are declining across almost all brands, we have a large and rapidly growing international digital audience which means two key things: a much larger potential market and the ability to sell digital advertising for a respectable price. This audience will sustain us so the idea of targeting a much smaller, hardcore British audience instead of a global mainstream one is counter-intuitive.

Not everyone will like the product we produce but we believe in it and we feel it will give us the best possible chance of surviving and thriving in the years to come.

[Tomasino]

Very informative thread. I liked the old paper too but I didn't have internet then and can see why it's went the way it has. It's still better as a whole, than anything else.

[palooka]

I still enjoy the magazine and have to say that if the magazine is only seen as a fraction of 'the brand' the content is bound to suffer eventually. What proportion of the magazines buyers are British? Surely, it's those customers who should be put first, it's like The Ring magazine fretting over German readers.

[Broomhall]

I still enjoy the magazine and have to say that if the magazine is only seen as a fraction of 'the brand' the content is bound to suffer eventually. What proportion of the magazines buyers are British? Surely, it's those customers who should be put first, it's like The Ring magazine fretting over German readers.

Even if they sell to a tiny percentage of Americans via a download or internet base, that percentage may be larger than its British readership?
I never understood why the BBC withdrew from boxing and my understanding now is that it was simply a decision made by head of sports at that time from a personal point of view who just didnt like boxing, but I think once boxing disappeared from mainstream TV the writing was on the wall for Boxing News for such a small participation based sport.

[dbflex]

I still enjoy the magazine and have to say that if the magazine is only seen as a fraction of 'the brand' the content is bound to suffer eventually. What proportion of the magazines buyers are British? Surely, it's those customers who should be put first, it's like The Ring magazine fretting over German readers.

If a brand only focuses on its existing customers then it can never achieve growth. By looking at the largest potential market a brand hopes to achieve growth rather than standing still or going backwards. It's also about which platforms will generate that growth. Most of our print readers are British, you are correct, but print as a medium has been declining for several years. Our biggest and fastest growing audiences are on our website and on social media and the US portion of these is higher than the UK and they also include far more casual or mainstream fans. So do we focus on an already declining market or try to include a growing one? A boxing fan's answer to that question may differ from a publisher's.

[palooka]

I appreciate your reply and honesty; it may be that I am a crank but I really used to enjoy reading the old timers section, also the amateur section - the semi finals of junior competitions were covered - I understand that they are of little international interest but a fan could really get to see talented boxers coming through - not only those at the top of the pile.

I'll continue to buy and read, it's a part of my weekly routine

[dalcumly]

Once again my personal thanks to Danny Flexen for coming out on this forum and representing the view from the Boxing News.

There's been lots of interesting comments up till now but Danny's input has clarified a lot, and I for one have to take it on the chin. I had hoped that a change of editor and declining magazine sales would have called a halt to the predominately American garbage ( to me at any rate) which I had thought switched many traditional readers off.

The increased price this week, the probable continuation of content to satisfy a global audience, and the possibility of the 'hard copy' coming to an end, has pushed me over the edge. I may well buy the odd copy in the future, and I'll miss my 'fix' on a Friday morning but an era has come to an end.

As people have said earlier, the worlds changing, and we've got to move on, but Boxing News can do without my £3 odds in future. ( saving £170 a year will help when I once again take out my season ticket for Ibrox when the the current lunatics have left the asylum!!!)

[bobmee]

It may be slightly irrelevant to this debate but when I joined Boxing News in 1978, with Harry Mullan editing, there were people who complained it wasn't like it used to be, was out of touch with its readers and predicted that it couldn't go on much longer. Times move, boxing continues to cling on by its naughty fingertips and somehow Boxing News has so far managed to reinvent itself and do the same. It may die because it has no divine right to exist but that's why its survival is best placed in the hands of the (relatively) young, who can read the mood of the times, both in terms of the target audience and technological possibilities. While we're at it, I think whatever technological advances occur for the foreseeable future at least there will be those who enjoy curling up in a chair with a book or magazine and who need a break from the lap-top or whatever electronic device is new. My children all read books and magazines - ages 19-36. I have 3 mags on subscription, all of which have an online issue. I read the physical magazine, not the online one. It's not necessarily an age-thing but I don't think it's fair to say my generation is dying out. Annoyingly, perhaps, old folk are hanging around a lot longer these days. Not arguing with what 'deserter' says about the general state of the market. Absolutely true. But there will be exceptions and it's Boxing News' job to make itself one of them. Sorry, this rare post is too long. I've shut up.

[roy]

It seems to me that those people who predominantly use the digital media (i.e. the international audience and the younger generation) will probably not buy the printed version of the magazine. In which case, why does the content of the magazine have to mirror what is available on the web. I appreciate that additional articles require extra resources but much of the content is not time critical, and could be produced when things are slack, for later publication.
I have read every edition of BN since 1959 and would be very disappointed to see the demise of the printed version.

[dbflex]

It seems to me that those people who predominantly use the digital media (i.e. the international audience and the younger generation) will probably not buy the printed version of the magazine. In which case, why does the content of the magazine have to mirror what is available on the web. I appreciate that additional articles require extra resources but much of the content is not time critical, and could be produced when things are slack, for later publication.
I have read every edition of BN since 1959 and would be very disappointed to see the demise of the printed version.

The people who predominantly use the digital media often do not have access to the print product (we do not print in the US for example), however... the digital issue – which we would very much like to sell to as many of that huge digital audience as possible – is a PDF replica of the print (or vice versa depending on your perspective) which means we produce one product that we want to appeal to all audiences. The focus has traditionally been on the hardcore UK fans but they alone cannot sustain BN, sad as that fact is. So the focus has shifted towards a more international product that includes more casual fans (a bigger market) and, hopefully, younger readers (to sustain BN's future). As I keep saying, some hardcore fans (Many of whom use this forum) may not appreciate this change in direction but I hope the majority can at least understand the rationale behind it.

[palooka]

I can understand the rationale and the imperative behind the changes, I do not understand though how the new editor of Boxing News shouldn't have to demonstrate an understanding or appreciation for the sport - i buy apole fishing magazine for my son and it'd be mind boggling if the editor didn't have a clue about pole fishing.

[dbflex]

I can understand the rationale and the imperative behind the changes, I do not understand though how the new editor of Boxing News shouldn't have to demonstrate an understanding or appreciation for the sport - i buy apole fishing magazine for my son and it'd be mind boggling if the editor didn't have a clue about pole fishing.

I find it much harder to explain the rationale for that. I think (and I can't speak for Newsquest) that they want to employ someone who is more of a strategic thinker and publisher/editor than a journalist, so fiddled with the wording on the advert in the hope of dissuading the latter type of applicant. I would contend, as I'm sure you would, that a knowledge of boxing does not preclude someone being commercially minded, but I'm not the one with it all to lose if they get the wrong person, so we shall see what happens.

[palooka]

Thank you for your response, it may be a sign of the times and I may be a young fogey and I have viewed the Boxing News as an institution that would remain sound though if Woolworths could go under anything can :(

[dbflex]

I used to love Woolworths. And Radio Rentals. But BN is not anywhere close to going under. We sell roughly the same number of print issues per week as BM do per month, plus we have a massive digital audience we can sell online advertising against. We also have a growing revenue stream with the digital issue. We're not at death's door lol but we could not last for another 10 years (in my opinion) targeting the same (shrinking) hardcore demographic.

[palooka]

Why is the hardcore demographic shrinking? Is the sport less exciting than it used to be?

[reggaereggae]

Whatever the issues, and concerns, in my mind, boxing news is and always has been since I started reading it, the best boxing publication in the (English speaking!) world.

And I read them all - Boxing monthly (second best), KO, Boxing illustrated, the Ring, Boxing Outlook, Boxing Weekly, Boxing Scene, Boxing88 (add year), World Boxing etc.

Listing all those mags I feel strongly nostalgic.... KO and Ring were part of my childhood as well. Though they were a bit childish in their approach when I was 15 I loved them.

I miss being young, you're so naive yet unjaded and easily pleased.

Ahem. Sorry. But If I could only read one publication on boxing, it would be and always was Boxing News

PS does anyone remember a UK boxing magazine that only published something like 4 times? Was called left Hook or something..... I'm sure that's not right... Maybe 'Uppercut'?

[dbflex]

Why is the hardcore demographic shrinking? Is the sport less exciting than it used to be?

God, that's a tough question... my best guess would be that boxing itself is trying to do what we are trying to do and appeal more to the mainstream, casual fan... Matchroom/Sky are certainly doing this. perhaps this has left the hardcore fan marginalised. Even allegedly, a channel really for hardcore fans you would think, relies on the crossover fights every 3 months or so to stay afloat. Our sales always peak around crossover fights like Froch-Groves II and Mayweather. It's quite clear to see how big the hardcore audience is and how much of a boost the casuals provide. Perhaps some of those casuals will convert to hardcore status but not enough to sustain a brand. If allegedly went a year with no major crossover fights I imagine they'd struggle to survive; maybe we would too but our cost base is much lower than theirs.

[Deserter]

PS does anyone remember a UK boxing magazine that only published something like 4 times? Was called left Hook or something..... I'm sure that's not right... Maybe 'Uppercut'?

James Macdonnell worked on that if memory serves me correctly. I think unfortunately it was the perfect example of what I was talking about earlier in the thread in terms of enthusiasts (the owner/s, not James) thinking they could create a profitable concern based purely on their passion and neglecting the need for publishing experience and a proper business plan.

[dbflex]

PS does anyone remember a UK boxing magazine that only published something like 4 times? Was called left Hook or something..... I'm sure that's not right... Maybe 'Uppercut'?

James Macdonnell worked on that if memory serves me correctly. I think unfortunately it was the perfect example of what I was talking about earlier in the thread in terms of enthusiasts (the owner/s, not James) thinking they could create a profitable concern based purely on their passion and neglecting the need for publishing experience and a proper business plan.

All of which perhaps indicates why Newsquest made a point of the new editor not needing boxing knowledge?

[palooka]

Though the long term hardcore fan may feel more and more marginalised and taken for granted kind of like the working class and the labour party.

[dbflex]

Though the long term hardcore fan may feel more and more marginalised and taken for granted kind of like the working class and the labour party.

I'm both working class and a hardcore fan so imagine how I feel ;)

[palooka]

Though the long term hardcore fan may feel more and more marginalised and taken for granted kind of like the working class and the labour party.

I'm both working class and a hardcore fan so imagine how I feel ;)

It's not nice, is it?

[olij999]

It may be slightly irrelevant to this debate but when I joined Boxing News in 1978, with Harry Mullan editing, there were people who complained it wasn't like it used to be, was out of touch with its readers and predicted that it couldn't go on much longer. Times move, boxing continues to cling on by its naughty fingertips and somehow Boxing News has so far managed to reinvent itself and do the same. It may die because it has no divine right to exist but that's why its survival is best placed in the hands of the (relatively) young, who can read the mood of the times, both in terms of the target audience and technological possibilities. While we're at it, I think whatever technological advances occur for the foreseeable future at least there will be those who enjoy curling up in a chair with a book or magazine and who need a break from the lap-top or whatever electronic device is new. My children all read books and magazines - ages 19-36. I have 3 mags on subscription, all of which have an online issue. I read the physical magazine, not the online one. It's not necessarily an age-thing but I don't think it's fair to say my generation is dying out. Annoyingly, perhaps, old folk are hanging around a lot longer these days. Not arguing with what 'deserter' says about the general state of the market. Absolutely true. But there will be exceptions and it's Boxing News' job to make itself one of them. Sorry, this rare post is too long. I've shut up.

I agree with all of that - while I appreciate the need for the online version, website, app etc, I will always read the print copy.

[roy]

I understand the need to attract the casual fans but, by doing so, there is a real danger of alienating the hardcore readership. Thankfully BN hasn't reached that stage yet but I hope it doesn't evolve into a comic. I used to attend most boxing events in London at one time but I got fed up with all the hanging around between bouts, and then deciding whether to catch the last train home or stay to see the main event. It always amazes me when Matt Christie talks, on the podcasts, about the ring entrance being the highlight at certain shows. I suppose it wouldn't do for us all to like the same things.

I'd like to thank Danny Flexen for his comments on this topic and wish all the staff of BN a happy and successful new year.

[dbflex]

I understand the need to attract the casual fans but, by doing so, there is a real danger of alienating the hardcore readership. Thankfully BN hasn't reached that stage yet but I hope it doesn't evolve into a comic. I used to attend most boxing events in London at one time but I got fed up with all the hanging around between bouts, and then deciding whether to catch the last train home or stay to see the main event. It always amazes me when Matt Christie talks, on the podcasts, about the ring entrance being the highlight at certain shows. I suppose it wouldn't do for us all to like the same things.

I'd like to thank Danny Flexen for his comments on this topic and wish all the staff of BN a happy and successful new year.

Thank you and the same to you mate. We'll never be a comic. If anything, we are creating more space in the print product for harder hitting long-form features and broader international coverage.