HBO Boxing in Dire Straits?

[Impractical Poster]

It was just announced that Lomachenko and Crawford's next fights will be aired live on ESPN.

[victor-romeo]

I hope not..I think it will work out and ESPN thing will be positive even for HBO..

[Impractical Poster]

I hope not..I think it will work out and ESPN thing will be positive even for HBO..

I don't know man. HBO not having Top Rank fighters really slims down their stable, which had already took a huge hit when Haymon cut ties with the network.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

HBO just isn't getting a return for their investment. It's their own fault for overpaying for fights for so many years. This is a good thing that ESPN is making a move they should have made many years ago. As far as American Boxing goes, fighters are going to have to realize that money isn't there. More PPV's like Kovalev fighting for gates and buys is a good start. No HBO is actually good for the sport, this PBC thing needs to break. Too many good fighters sitting around while their manager collects money.

[Tanzio]

HBO just isn't getting a return for their investment. It's their own fault for overpaying for fights for so many years. This is a good thing that ESPN is making a move they should have made many years ago. As far as American Boxing goes, fighters are going to have to realize that money isn't there. More PPV's like Kovalev fighting for gates and buys is a good start. No HBO is actually good for the sport, this PBC thing needs to break. Too many good fighters sitting around while their manager collects money.

I agree. More people will be exposed to the sport.

[victor-romeo]

HBO just isn't getting a return for their investment. It's their own fault for overpaying for fights for so many years. This is a good thing that ESPN is making a move they should have made many years ago. As far as American Boxing goes, fighters are going to have to realize that money isn't there. More PPV's like Kovalev fighting for gates and buys is a good start. No HBO is actually good for the sport, this PBC thing needs to break. Too many good fighters sitting around while their manager collects money.

I agree with most of what you say, but I think the loss of HBO would be huge to boxing and boxing in America.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

If it's picked up by espn iwill be great.

[victor-romeo]

If it's picked up by espn iwill be great.

ESPN not dependable like HBO..I think what will happen is ESPN will boost sport up , and these Arum fighters you see on ESPN you will see them again on HBO for PPV etc.

[victor-romeo]

but Lomachenko vs Pac on ESPN would be awesome..

[Tanzio]

but Lomachenko vs Pac on ESPN would be awesome..

Indeed

[MachoTime]

HBO could be in dire straits because a lot of streaming services cutting into the cable market. Driving subscription prices way down. Probably can't afford telecasting Boxing anymore.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

If it's picked up by espn iwill be great.

ESPN not dependable like HBO..I think what will happen is ESPN will boost sport up , and these Arum fighters you see on ESPN you will see them again on HBO for PPV etc.

Perhaps, ABC is as dependable as any American network.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

HBO could be in dire straits because a lot of streaming services cutting into the cable market. Driving subscription prices way down. Probably can't afford telecasting Boxing anymore.

They just don't get enough views.

[Bard of Boxrec]

HBO boxing is indeed in Dire Straits. They're paying Money For Nothing.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

HBO boxing is indeed in Dire Straits. They're paying Money For Nothing.

virtually nobody buys HBO for boxing. Much better bang for their buck to have a dragon episode on game of thrones than to have 3 fights.

[gilgamesh]

HBO boxing is indeed in Dire Straits. They're paying Money For Nothing.

virtually nobody buys HBO for boxing. Much better bang for their buck to have a dragon episode on game of thrones than to have 3 fights.

I bought HBO for Boxing and only for Boxing. I dropped 'em this year because they ain't giving me enough boxing. I'm one of the few I guess.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

HBO boxing is indeed in Dire Straits. They're paying Money For Nothing.

virtually nobody buys HBO for boxing. Much better bang for their buck to have a dragon episode on game of thrones than to have 3 fights.

I bought HBO for Boxing and only for Boxing. I dropped 'em this year because they ain't giving me enough boxing. I'm one of the few I guess.

Me too, I was speaking figuratively. If HBO spends 8 million on a fight they're lucky to have 5% of their subscribers watch it. Back in the day almost half of the HBO subscribers watched Tyson fights. They dug their own grave and helped fornicate boxing to shit, fornicate them, but I'm surprised they wasted money this long.

[RScarf1]

HBO Boxing did well with Larry Merchant and Jim Lampley in the '80s and '90s. It was usually better than Showtime even though Showtime was able to get Holyfield. I feel that HBO wanted Ward to win and it showed after the fight when Max Kellerman did not acknowledge the low blows from Ward. He just said that Ward deserves to be No. 1 pound for pound because he stopped Kovalev.

[Enlightened-One]

It was just announced that Lomachenko and Crawford's next fights will be aired live on ESPN.

Hasn't this topic been discussed on other threads early last week?

I know I've already mentioned this at least three times.

[Sequitorian]

ESPN spent about 40 years running down boxing at every opportunity ...

... and is largely responsible for the emergence of this MMA disease ...

... the entire network is a disgrace ...

... (and Teddy Atlas is a moron) ...

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[gilgamesh]

MMA disease? That's a bit over the top don't ya think

If you don't like it just don't watch it, I don't see how it's doing you any harm by existing.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

If it's picked up by espn iwill be great.

ESPN not dependable like HBO..I think what will happen is ESPN will boost sport up , and these Arum fighters you see on ESPN you will see them again on HBO for PPV etc.

ESPN would just do their own PPV, no way are they paying for these fighters to fight on their network and then let HBO make the easy money on PPV. Not to mention Arum isn't going to involve them on his dime after he left their network to begin with.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

MMA disease? That's a bit over the top don't ya think

If you don't like it just don't watch it, I don't see how it's doing you any harm by existing.

It's all that thing cares about.

[Perseus]

HBO boxing is indeed in Dire Straits. They're paying Money For Nothing.

[caldo2025]

I was not happy to hear that HBO lost Lomachenko and Crawford's next fights. ESPN's coverage is not good. Aside from the commentators who aren't bad, they must use inferior cameras because it always looks like crap in HD. It's a bit scary to see Boxing's platform and main mediums appearing to be so unstable right now. Say what you want about SHO and HBO but at least we knew one of them would be hosting the fight.

Stephan A. Smith belongs nowhere near the sport of Boxing. His performance last night was ridiculous. Al Bernstein tweeted a fantastic review of Smith's ignorance last nigh if you had a chance to see it. I'm too lazy to go find you a link but it's a good read. Atlas is funny and I don't mind him but I prefer the HBO crew when they weren't so biased. They've been horrible recently.