US PPV - why so expensive?

[Loki]

I’m from London, live there and have lived in the US and BVI.

Not that the above matters, but when most PPV bouts in the UK (regardless of broadcaster) is £20 which I feel is expensive unless the card is stacked; why on earth is it so expensive in the USA?

Is it down to the broadcaster? Are all fights similar price? Have they always been this expensive? I don’t recall them being that costly when I lived there.

[Onetimeonly]

The promoters money is at risk for Ppv, not the network. Cable and satellite get half. When I was a kid the closed circuit was between 20-30, in the 90's they were around 30. Floyd and Manny pushed it to the range it is now. About 10-12 years ago there were probably 16-17 a year at least 50. Now there's barely any but they're all 75 or more.

[KiwiRider]

Seems a shame it is so expensive in the US. Doesn't do any favours for boxing really, it is still predominantly a working man's thing. Problem is, they still make money, so why risk dropping the price in order to gain more purchases..

[Loki]

I get the dynamics; I think. The promoter normally gets around 45%. That is mostly paid to the fighters and the cable/satellite (or the the platform) get the rest.

But, is it the promoters, cable/satellite or fighters who are or have been pushing this in the US? It seems so weird that across Europe (I think RTL is free in Germany) there is so much disparity compared to North America.

Does Canada have the same networks/cable than the US for boxing?

[Onetimeonly]

Seems a shame it is so expensive in the US. Doesn't do any favours for boxing really, it is still predominantly a working man's thing. Problem is, they still make money, so why risk dropping the price in order to gain more purchases..

If they drop the price the fighters won't fight. Casinos and premium cable has fighters overpaid here to the point of no return. It will never be a big sport in the States again.

[jujigatame]

Seems like the streaming services are slowly putting an end to this. There are way less PPVs than there used to be each year.

[Onetimeonly]

Seems like the streaming services are slowly putting an end to this. There are way less PPVs than there used to be each year.

Looks like a lot this year.

[jas80s]

There isn't a fight in the world that could be made that I would pay 75 dollars to watch. And that only becomes more true when you consider that the notion of a "stacked card" is completely dead and will never return. And I am a boxing fan.

I don't know how they keep on making money putting out such a poor product, but it can't continue indefinitely.

I seem to recall hearing a story that networks were losing money on sports programming after shelling out an insane amount of money for broadcast rights that they were not able to recoup. The end result of which is that they won't pay as much next time and that player salaries would actually go down in the near future. Perhaps Boxing will be the first sport to fall victim to this new economy. That would actually be good news for fans.

[SenorPipino]

Simple.

We Americans are perceived to be filthy rich, so they soak us.

As long as we continue to cough up these ludicrous PPV prices and the promoters/cable networks handsomely profit, there's little incentive to keep the pricetag reasonable.

I'm fortunate that I can easily drive across the international border and watch all these PPV fights for free at Mexican nightclubs.

But if I didn't have that option, I would carefully pick and choose what fights are must-see regardless of the cost, and which I can do without.

[Evander]

Seems like putting prices of boxing up they're trying to stop people watching.

[Best Coast]

Seems a shame it is so expensive in the US. Doesn't do any favours for boxing really, it is still predominantly a working man's thing. Problem is, they still make money, so why risk dropping the price in order to gain more purchases..

In the southwestern US most of the hardcore fans are Mexican or Mexican-American and they routinely pack 10-20 people into an apartment or house and divide the cost, with most buddies chipping in $5-10. I cant tell you the last time I watched a PPV at someone's place with fewer than 8-10 people there.

Promoters know because of that Latino tradition they can keep the prices high & still get lots of Hispanic fans buying in!!

[JCS]

We Americans are perceived to be filthy rich, so they soak us.

Not filthy rich.. but most Americans are seen as ones who will spend all of their extra income on short-lived entertainment, rather than save it. Therefore.. open the flood gates.

[Evander]

F does that mean ?

[Nightmare Roy]

In the UK we go mad when ppv is $15-$25 but that more to do with the fact that anyold shit is put on ppv these days.

[candyslim]

Simple.

We Americans are perceived to be filthy rich, so they soak us.

You say that but in the UK we are very used to seeing the price of stuff (electronics being a prime example) being the same number in the US and the UK say US$ 500 and UK£ 500 so bearing in mind the exchange rate that makes the UK half as expensive again as it is in the States.

I don't know what happened with Boxing PPV. For once we get the nice, dry, non-shitty end of the stick, it's a very refreshing change.

Because none of my friends or family members are boxing fans, it means I'm paying PPV purely for me to watch. It's different if you can get a bunch of mates and a crate of beers, but watching alone as I do, I even pick and choose over £20 UK PPV, as Jas80s says there is no way I would pay the equivalent of $75 for any fight or fightcard.

[Loki]

Simple.

We Americans are perceived to be filthy rich, so they soak us.

You say that but in the UK we are very used to seeing the price of stuff (electronics being a prime example) being the same number in the US and the UK say US$ 500 and UK£ 500 so bearing in mind the exchange rate that makes the UK half as expensive again as it is in the States.

I don't know what happened with Boxing PPV. For once we get the nice, dry, non-shitty end of the stick, it's a very refreshing change.

Because none of my friends or family members are boxing fans, it means I'm paying PPV purely for me to watch. It's different if you can get a bunch of mates and a crate of beers, but watching alone as I do, I even pick and choose over £20 UK PPV, as Jas80s says there is no way I would pay the equivalent of $75 for any fight or fightcard.

The £ is 1.32 against the Dollar. The lowest it’s been since the 80s. Fcuking Brexit.

I wouldn’t pay more than £50 for a fight. I normally pack all my mates round, so the beer and party accessories are on them. For me to consider paying over that, it would have to be three headline fights on one card and they just doesn’t happen.

Anyone got any other country PPV costs? What’s it like in Oceania, Canada, South America, Russia or the Far East? I’m curious now.

[Loki]

Simple.

We Americans are perceived to be filthy rich, so they soak us.

You say that but in the UK we are very used to seeing the price of stuff (electronics being a prime example) being the same number in the US and the UK say US$ 500 and UK£ 500 so bearing in mind the exchange rate that makes the UK half as expensive again as it is in the States.

I don't know what happened with Boxing PPV. For once we get the nice, dry, non-shitty end of the stick, it's a very refreshing change.

Because none of my friends or family members are boxing fans, it means I'm paying PPV purely for me to watch. It's different if you can get a bunch of mates and a crate of beers, but watching alone as I do, I even pick and choose over £20 UK PPV, as Jas80s says there is no way I would pay the equivalent of $75 for any fight or fightcard.

You need some new mates.

[Enlightened-One]

US PPV - why so expensive?

Isn’t it a traditional price point range? The US market have nearly always paid quite expensive prices for PPV events for boxing, MMA and wrestling entertainment.

The American market is far more mature than the UK, in terms of experience of PPV’s, as I think they started in the 60’s with boxing, the WWE’s during the mid-80’s and the mid-90’s for the UFC.

So several generations of people from that region are accustomed to paying certain prices for the events they want to watch.

The UK market only first gained exposure to regular PPV’s until the mid-90’s and the prices have always been low in comparison. They can't suddenly increase the prices without adversely affecting sales, but these events are becoming increasingly expensive, exceeding the rate of inflation. British PPV prices will surely catch up with the US over time, but it might take a decade or so.

[candyslim]

Simple.

We Americans are perceived to be filthy rich, so they soak us.

You say that but in the UK we are very used to seeing the price of stuff (electronics being a prime example) being the same number in the US and the UK say US$ 500 and UK£ 500 so bearing in mind the exchange rate that makes the UK half as expensive again as it is in the States.

I don't know what happened with Boxing PPV. For once we get the nice, dry, non-shitty end of the stick, it's a very refreshing change.

Because none of my friends or family members are boxing fans, it means I'm paying PPV purely for me to watch. It's different if you can get a bunch of mates and a crate of beers, but watching alone as I do, I even pick and choose over £20 UK PPV, as Jas80s says there is no way I would pay the equivalent of $75 for any fight or fightcard.

You need some new mates.

You lot satisfy all my boxing talk needs, except when there's a PPV, then I'm inclined to agree. Unfortunately hard core boxing fans don't grow on trees, I'd have to settle for casuals coming round and giving me the benefit of their expertise

[Onetimeonly]

Simple.

We Americans are perceived to be filthy rich, so they soak us.

You say that but in the UK we are very used to seeing the price of stuff (electronics being a prime example) being the same number in the US and the UK say US$ 500 and UK£ 500 so bearing in mind the exchange rate that makes the UK half as expensive again as it is in the States.

I don't know what happened with Boxing PPV. For once we get the nice, dry, non-shitty end of the stick, it's a very refreshing change.

Because none of my friends or family members are boxing fans, it means I'm paying PPV purely for me to watch. It's different if you can get a bunch of mates and a crate of beers, but watching alone as I do, I even pick and choose over £20 UK PPV, as Jas80s says there is no way I would pay the equivalent of $75 for any fight or fightcard.

The £ is 1.32 against the Dollar. The lowest it’s been since the 80s. Fcuking Brexit.

I wouldn’t pay more than £50 for a fight. I normally pack all my mates round, so the beer and party accessories are on them. For me to consider paying over that, it would have to be three headline fights on one card and they just doesn’t happen.

Anyone got any other country PPV costs? What’s it like in Oceania, Canada, South America, Russia or the Far East? I’m curious now.

I don't think south America has ppv. Canada is mainly Canadian fighters, not sure of the cost. I think Russia and Japan are $5 or so. But I'm just guessing off of memory. Mexico definitely doesn't have it.

[Duran1970]

Canadian prices same as the states for ppv....what pisses me off is when there's a Canadian based fighter fighting on HBO or showtime for free in states but it'll be ppv in Canada...
Example would be Stevenson fighting in Quebec city would be on American showtime but in Canada we'd have to buy it..not cheap either...all PPVs up here are between $50-80 bubbles...
PAC/Broner $79.99 Canadian in hd

[oogiebe]

I may be speaking out of school here, but I wonder if PPV's are more expensive in the US because revenue from the live-gates would be smaller than the UK, who seems to fill football stadiums vs smaller venues here.

[candyslim]

It wasn't always like that though was it? It's probably a poor example in that it's in no way typical but Dempsey v Tunney pulled well over 100,000 at Soldier Field.

I appreciate that's ancient history but the high attendance/ low PPV sounds like it might be a chicken and egg situation.

[oogiebe]

It wasn't always like that though was it? It's probably a poor example in that it's in no way typical but Dempsey v Tunney pulled well over 100,000 at Soldier Field.

I appreciate that's ancient history but the high attendance/ low PPV sounds like it might be a chicken and egg situation.

I didn't buy the Dempsey/Tunney PPV. (JK). I'm just considering the overall revenue for a card. Once Vegas became the meca in the US (not so much anymore) live attendance was limited. And then PPV's began to rise from 29.99 - to the 74.99 we see today. To me the chicken and egg is for promoters to drop the PPV fight and see how many more buys they would have, but that time may be past as the popularity of boxing in the US has dwindled.

[candyslim]

Yes I think that ship has sailed. I wonder if the High PPV has helped to kill boxing in the US. Sheer speculation on my part of course, you guys would know far better than I do.

You didn't buy the PPV? I guess that was before you started to get interested, yes?