Was just thinking Setanta are really trying to go for it now and compete with Sky so what are the main 2 sports they use to lure subscribers? Premiership football and boxing.
Sky did exactly the same, worked then and will probably work now although they may have to revise pricing packages as I think many people feel another £15 per month is just getting stupid especially as Setanta will probably start charging PPV for Hatton once they have all their subscribers on board like Sky did with boxing.
So Sky have acknowledged boxing is incredibly popular and with terrestrial tv dipping their toe back into boxing in the last few years I wonder why the fans do get treated so shabbily?
No weekly ringside type show, big fights from the US missed, the companies don't seem to want to commit to boxing despite acknowledging with their actions that it is a top drawer attraction with which only Premiership football is on a par!
TV Companies and boxing....
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WildWaylon
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 3223
- Joined: 02 Nov 2005, 13:35
Setanta are clearly making an effort with boxing, they showed Hatton-Castillo and Cotto-Judah in the same month. Next week they are showing a docu on Tony Booth. Hatton's terrific win is an amazing boost for them and hopefully a sign of things to come. Rumour is next Hatton fight will be in October.
It does seem strange that boxing is treated so shabbily. ITV are apparently (according to the papers) exstatic that Britains' got Talent attracted 13 million... apparently it is a fantastic figure rarely seen in most one off sporting events.
However, two average heavyweights on late night ITV Harrison and Williams scored 8 million viewers. That was with little build up and advertising. Thats a fantastic ratings and shows that boxing is a big draw. I know they haven't really repeated it, but thats just shows that the rests of the fights were not as good as that.
Just imagine the viewing figures would have been for Lewis vs Tyson. Even in the digital age, I think we would have seen 20 million combined (if they would have screened it live and then on prime time delay as they often did in the good old days). I think DLH vs Mayweather would have toppled the figures for Williams vs Audley.
When I first got sky, I remember reading an article in boxing monthly and it said Boxing was its second biggest ratings puller - behind Football. It was neck and neck with the WWF, but BM attributed the rise in the WWF ratings to Tyson's involvement. Now, though BM have stated that Sky see Darts and even Speedway as more of a priority. Let alone WWF and now Masters football. I just cannot understand why. When the big fights are made, the interest is still there.
However, two average heavyweights on late night ITV Harrison and Williams scored 8 million viewers. That was with little build up and advertising. Thats a fantastic ratings and shows that boxing is a big draw. I know they haven't really repeated it, but thats just shows that the rests of the fights were not as good as that.
Just imagine the viewing figures would have been for Lewis vs Tyson. Even in the digital age, I think we would have seen 20 million combined (if they would have screened it live and then on prime time delay as they often did in the good old days). I think DLH vs Mayweather would have toppled the figures for Williams vs Audley.
When I first got sky, I remember reading an article in boxing monthly and it said Boxing was its second biggest ratings puller - behind Football. It was neck and neck with the WWF, but BM attributed the rise in the WWF ratings to Tyson's involvement. Now, though BM have stated that Sky see Darts and even Speedway as more of a priority. Let alone WWF and now Masters football. I just cannot understand why. When the big fights are made, the interest is still there.
I think it was possibly the same article which also compared boxing viewing figures to F1 which ITV had just pinced off the BBC. The Benn-Eubank fights drew more viewers, in a shorter time period than F1 which is like a 3/4 hour broadcast...stujones wrote:It does seem strange that boxing is treated so shabbily. ITV are apparently (according to the papers) exstatic that Britains' got Talent attracted 13 million... apparently it is a fantastic figure rarely seen in most one off sporting events.
However, two average heavyweights on late night ITV Harrison and Williams scored 8 million viewers. That was with little build up and advertising. Thats a fantastic ratings and shows that boxing is a big draw. I know they haven't really repeated it, but thats just shows that the rests of the fights were not as good as that.
Just imagine the viewing figures would have been for Lewis vs Tyson. Even in the digital age, I think we would have seen 20 million combined (if they would have screened it live and then on prime time delay as they often did in the good old days). I think DLH vs Mayweather would have toppled the figures for Williams vs Audley.
When I first got sky, I remember reading an article in boxing monthly and it said Boxing was its second biggest ratings puller - behind Football. It was neck and neck with the WWF, but BM attributed the rise in the WWF ratings to Tyson's involvement. Now, though BM have stated that Sky see Darts and even Speedway as more of a priority. Let alone WWF and now Masters football. I just cannot understand why. When the big fights are made, the interest is still there.
The people of this country would clearly rather watch two of our top boxers slug it out than some little rich boys driving robots (mostly in a procession) around a track 75 times.
You don't see Setanta or Sky trying to use motor sports on PPV to lure subscribers in do you!
Britains' got Talent, you know the "talent" show with Ant and Dec. Apparently ITV bosses are estatic with the performance. It actually beat the X factor and was one of the best rated shows in years on the station.Autobarn wrote:who attracted 13mil on ITV? Highest ratings were about 7 or 8 mil, for that naff heavyweight fight.
It was though heavily advertised on peak time and followed Coronotion Street. If Harrison vs Williams not on peak time, not following Coronation Street and not as heavily advertised can achieve 8 million. Then a Tyson vs Lewis and even DLH vs Mayweather would have smashed the figure from Britains got talent.