Hearn leaving Sky for DAZN

[mickey1975]

WWE do their lesser shows on the same night as Raw. They just take an interval and change the canvas. They also run small hall shows. There was even one in a local hall to me, about 1,500 capacity.

[maverick23]

I took two of my kids in 2006 to the wrestling in Manchester, sold out, incredible atmosphere. I took another two in 2019 and half the arena was sealed off.

It’s very much a cyclical business. When they have stars that have crossed over to the mainstream or the audience love then viewing figures/audiences are great. When they don’t, like pretty much most of the last 5 years then it’s tougher. They changed their target demo between 2006 and 2019 to focus more on kids rather than aiming for young men (16-35) so everything’s a bit watered down now.

Cena topped the bill in 2006.

Yeah - he was the last star they had really before WWE went to the PG era a year or two later.

[maverick23]

WWE do their lesser shows on the same night as Raw. They just take an interval and change the canvas. They also run small hall shows. There was even one in a local hall to me, about 1,500 capacity.

Yeah - saves on production costs, venue hire and travel. They’ve done it since the mid 80s.

They also did loads of small hall (non TV) shows. Post Covid these may not even happen as they’ve saved a fortune on production/travel in the last 12 months. It’s also been used a way to justify lower fees to the wrestlers as they don’t have to travel/actual wrestle as much.

[stujones]

Their biggest revenue streams are the money TV networks pay for their weekly shows and also the monthly subs for their network. Merch sales will be something like 5/10% of what they get for their Tv shows.

They clearly can’t and won’t copy everything about the WWE or UFC models but I think they’ll do....

- Control every part of the show. Decide who does the commentary, interviews and if the fans aren’t happy then quickly make changes.

- Try and establish Matchroom as a brand. Will take a long time but they’ll be aiming for people to say ‘there’s a Matchroom show in town in a few weeks, let’s go’. Ive been to loads more boxing shows than I have UFC (where I’ve been to 10 or so) but the UFC shows are, on the whole, far better. There are competitive fights across the whole card and the stands are pretty much full from the first fight to the last fight whilst for the majority of boxing shows the fans tend to only come out for the main event, co-main or there’s a guy on the undercard who’s sold a load of tickets. Matchroom need to differentiate themselves by having the bulk of fights being competitive involving fighters that the fans are aware of. Not going to be easy to do!

- Do shows around the world with a high frequency of shows. They’re already doing this but will need to do even more.

- Have shoulder programming to promote all of their shows. They already do quite a bit on their YouTube channel (which is usually good, well produced stuff) and get it on as many platforms as they can. UFC have loads of pre shows on ESPN, WWE have their weekly shows on TV essentially building to a PPV (join their network to watch) and Matchroom will need to do something similar. Again will be difficult to do but not impossible.

I agree that's what they will try to do but unless they change the rules of boxing (which they might do) then it will be a tough job.

Yes commentatory, pundits etc - thats easy. Establishing matchroom as a brand - they've got the perfect salesman, good talker, good looking, not camera shy etc - whether Eddie will have the time I don't know, but he has to be at least the face of matchroom in the same way that Dana Whyte is the face of the UFC - so yes that's easy and I already know people who only know 3/4 boxers but know who Eddie Hearn is - so its getting there.... but that is getting there largely thanks to Sky, but yes he can continue this - no problem.

Where the problems lie for me in what you say.

Boxing, as it currently stands, is quite well regulated and this could be a problematic for Eddie's vision. I've not been to a UFC show and I don't frequently watch - but i can quite believe you when you say UFC shows are better..... why? yes competitive fights, also shorter contests, the even the dullest of fights will only last 25 minutes tops. Boxing you could have a 36 (plus a minute between rounds) of a snooze fest that could turn off any fan. Already the promotion programmes do better than the fights themselves (outside of PPV), so hows he going to sell Cheesman vs Fowler (which is a good fight) to get a load of subscribers. People generally aren't interested in the content sadly.

Eddie has tried different platforms and bent the rules a little when it comes to appealing to the masses - Prize fighter, Next Gen (with a different presentation), just like Bazza has done with the snooker - more tournaments, including stop clock matches etc, just like cricket has tried to rebrand etc. Unfortunately for Eddie, the BBBoC will never call a prize fighter final an eliminator for the British title and certainly not for a world title. The only fights people are interested in is the PPV fights and the mind set has changed from "oh I have to pay for this, rip off merchants" to "oh it must be good BECAUSE I have to pay for it extra, I'll get it then". The scripted nature of WWE makes it easier to sell a PPV because there is going to be no bannana skins, no "dull" contests, no controvesial decisions etc, plus off course I imagine WWE stars are on an annual salary, boxers would need paying everytime they fight.

Think it is a huge gamble when he already has a MAINSTREAM platform.

[maverick23]

The production quality of a UFC show is always good, every fight is competitive, there isn’t much waiting for the next fight, they’re well organised and there’s a really good buzz in the crowd. The majority of fans know who 80% of the fighters are and are invested in them. That’s not the case at boxing shows. Tonight’s UFC show is 13 fights and the biggest outsider in those 13 fights is 3/1. Compared to tonight’s show on BT where only one fight has a favourite inside 3/1 whilst all of the others look to be very one sided.

The UFC also has the benefit in that they decide who fights who and if someone turns down a fight a couple of times then they’re within their right to release them. Same also with someone who has consistently poor fights. If they spend the fighting running away from action or not doing much then they may well get cut. Whilst guys who’re in good fights but only win 50% of them will be kept on and be given another chance.

Eddie’s started to do that a little bit with his ‘winner stays on’ approach.

They don’t need to change the rules of boxing or have more prizefighter style events to achieve any of what I said. The UFC have been more regulated over the years and it hasn’t stopped their worldwide growth.

[handsofstone]

We do need change, Spence/Crawford tells us all we need to know about networks, we need it all under one banner, seems impossible but even Eddie Hearn's worst critics cant deny his passion, hunger and work ethic , i like my promoters to put on plenty shows, that's why i think Matchroom are head and shoulders are above the competition, Arum is pushing 90 and whoever replaces him wont have anywhere near his clout, Oscar is a fcvking idiot who cant even be arsed to learn the names on his roster apart from Vergil and Ry, Haymon's guys are too inactive and his model is not transparent, he needs to come out shadows if he wants to make his guys stars


Eddie still puts on some dire stuff sure but id say the good still outweighs the bad, as i say his guys are active, global, paid well and he bangs their drum

Im sorry but boxing has no one to blame for mess its in except itself, too many belts, drug cheats and too many promoters unwilling to work with one another, Matchroom, Golden Boy and Top Rank at least occasionally work together, PBC on other hand act like Terence Crawford doesn't exist, they are everything that's wrong with boxing, they need exterminated

I'm sorry but Eddie Hearn is only one with vision and funds to change, it'll take time to get everyone on board but thats just the way it is

[stujones]

I agree with what you are both saying and I do commend Hearns vision. I am a fan, but he is losing a huge mainstream platform to sell the fights. As I said outside of AJ, who gives a shit about the actual fights. Its already all about the build up and now the build up will be on a tiny platform.

If Eddie was offered full production control but on allegedly we'd say he is crazy, because there is no mainstream interest....this is in essence what hes doing.

The last game changing tv deal was 1996 when FW joined Sky. Now from what I am aware not only was Sky offering a huge deal, ITV wanted out also cos of Benn vs McClellan. But if you think about it the mindset of the viewership has changed.....back in 1995....Eubank vs Benn aside it was about the boxing and not about the characters. There was no preview show for Benn vs McClellan....indeed didnt Nigel no show the press conference? Yet the FIGHT did amazing ratings and is talked about still. The content of boxing sold, now its Dave Allen and Ebonie Bridges before the fight that gets the viewing figures.....no one gives a shit about the boxing....and Eddie is losing a huge platform for hype. Sky sports news is so important

[coghaugen11]

95 Warren had to take his stable to Sky. Eubank was on the way out and ITV were disturbed by Benn-McClellan and even the violence in the air in general in the arena. A sick, vile, amazing night.

[Neil Gee]

Probably be a price bump with Dazn now...

That's the first thing I thought: subscription price will go through the roof

[stujones]

95 Warren had to take his stable to Sky. Eubank was on the way out and ITV were disturbed by Benn-McClellan and even the violence in the air in general in the arena. A sick, vile, amazing night.

Yes he didn't have much choice, but it was still seen as a huge gamble, but what it did was change the way boxing was presented. There used to be the odd "preview" show on SportsNight (BBC) or Midweek Sports Special (ITV) but in the main, it was just the fight (perhaps a small segment on the sports news) - the fights did the ratings.

Sky started the pre fight promos and it was viewed by sports fans on "primetime" TV. I do think losing that platform is going to be a major issue for Eddie. Having his own youtube channel isn't the same etc.

[mickey1975]

We do need change, Spence/Crawford tells us all we need to know about networks, we need it all under one banner, seems impossible but even Eddie Hearn's worst critics cant deny his passion, hunger and work ethic , i like my promoters to put on plenty shows, that's why i think Matchroom are head and shoulders are above the competition, Arum is pushing 90 and whoever replaces him wont have anywhere near his clout, Oscar is a fcvking idiot who cant even be arsed to learn the names on his roster apart from Vergil and Ry, Haymon's guys are too inactive and his model is not transparent, he needs to come out shadows if he wants to make his guys stars


Eddie still puts on some dire stuff sure but id say the good still outweighs the bad, as i say his guys are active, global, paid well and he bangs their drum

Im sorry but boxing has no one to blame for mess its in except itself, too many belts, drug cheats and too many promoters unwilling to work with one another, Matchroom, Golden Boy and Top Rank at least occasionally work together, PBC on other hand act like Terence Crawford doesn't exist, they are everything that's wrong with boxing, they need exterminated

I'm sorry but Eddie Hearn is only one with vision and funds to change, it'll take time to get everyone on board but thats just the way it is

Have to agree with this. For all his faults and how annoying him and the people who hang off his every word are at least he’s trying to change things. He was the one flying all around the world trying to sort Joshua-Fury while Warren and Arum were sat at home and Fury and his dad just slated it all.

Mentioned it in another thread but if we can get more and more of the top fighters under the same banner (which looks like Matchroom) it’ll be a lot better.

Has it been announced?

[maverick23]

We do need change, Spence/Crawford tells us all we need to know about networks, we need it all under one banner, seems impossible but even Eddie Hearn's worst critics cant deny his passion, hunger and work ethic , i like my promoters to put on plenty shows, that's why i think Matchroom are head and shoulders are above the competition, Arum is pushing 90 and whoever replaces him wont have anywhere near his clout, Oscar is a fcvking idiot who cant even be arsed to learn the names on his roster apart from Vergil and Ry, Haymon's guys are too inactive and his model is not transparent, he needs to come out shadows if he wants to make his guys stars


Eddie still puts on some dire stuff sure but id say the good still outweighs the bad, as i say his guys are active, global, paid well and he bangs their drum

Im sorry but boxing has no one to blame for mess its in except itself, too many belts, drug cheats and too many promoters unwilling to work with one another, Matchroom, Golden Boy and Top Rank at least occasionally work together, PBC on other hand act like Terence Crawford doesn't exist, they are everything that's wrong with boxing, they need exterminated

I'm sorry but Eddie Hearn is only one with vision and funds to change, it'll take time to get everyone on board but thats just the way it is

Have to agree with this. For all his faults and how annoying him and the people who hang off his every word are at least he’s trying to change things. He was the one flying all around the world trying to sort Joshua-Fury while Warren and Arum were sat at home and Fury and his dad just slated it all.

Mentioned it in another thread but if we can get more and more of the top fighters under the same banner (which looks like Matchroom) it’ll be a lot better.

Has it been announced?

Nope - will likely be in the next few weeks though I think.

[mickey1975]

Oh yes, I heard that in January....

[maverick23]

Oh yes, I heard that in January....

Are you talking about AJ/Fury? Or Eddie going to DAZN like the bulk of the thread?

[mickey1975]

Oh yes, I heard that in January....

Are you talking about AJ/Fury? Or Eddie going to DAZN like the bulk of the thread?

Both.

[maverick23]

Oh yes, I heard that in January....

Are you talking about AJ/Fury? Or Eddie going to DAZN like the bulk of the thread?

Both.

Yeah - the AJ/Fury announcement’s been 2 weeks away for several months but the U.K. DAZN deal will have always taken more time. They’re not going to announce it in Jan/Feb when there’s still another 6 months or so on their Sky deal.

[Boxing Prospect]

We do need change, Spence/Crawford tells us all we need to know about networks, we need it all under one banner, seems impossible but even Eddie Hearn's worst critics cant deny his passion, hunger and work ethic , i like my promoters to put on plenty shows, that's why i think Matchroom are head and shoulders are above the competition, Arum is pushing 90 and whoever replaces him wont have anywhere near his clout, Oscar is a fcvking idiot who cant even be arsed to learn the names on his roster apart from Vergil and Ry, Haymon's guys are too inactive and his model is not transparent, he needs to come out shadows if he wants to make his guys stars

Eddie hasn't exactly had the best reputation when it comes to in house, and whilst it would change if he was the only dog in town, it's still staggering how few we actually seem to get at the top level.

The guy has had Andrade, Saunders, Jacobs, Golovkin and Smith under his banner for a few years and from the 10 potential match ups we've had 1 (and I'm not sure if he played a factor in that being made).

At heavyweight he's had Joshua and some form of a working relationship with Whyte but been unable to put them into a match since Joshua won a world title. He's also got so many supposed Heavyweight.

If he had control of more I can't help but think that we'd see more marking time fights, and only letting the top dogs fight after we'd had a long marination process... A bit like Top Rank when they had Lopez and Gamboa and then they dropped the ball.

[Jimmy2020]

95 Warren had to take his stable to Sky. Eubank was on the way out and ITV were disturbed by Benn-McClellan and even the violence in the air in general in the arena. A sick, vile, amazing night.

Good post. That night was the peak of my interest in boxing. Nothing has come close since (except Gomez v Arthur for personal reasons).

[BigDoofus]

Out of his 9 figure deal, why doesn't he stump up for Joshua-Fury?

[Jimmy2020]

Out of his 9 figure deal, why doesn't he stump up for Joshua-Fury?

Why would he?

Saudis paying 150,000,000 USD

Same again in PPV money.

Absolutely no need to dip into his DAZN pot.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Out of his 9 figure deal, why doesn't he stump up for Joshua-Fury?

Cheaper that someone else pays for it..

[BigDoofus]

Saudis paying 150,000,000 USD

SHOW ME THE MONEY!

[maverick23]

Out of his 9 figure deal, why doesn't he stump up for Joshua-Fury?

AJ still has a deal with Sky and Fury has a deal with BT.

Also 9 figures could just be £100,000,000. A load of money and £20m a year but it’s not enough to make the fight based on the rumours of the potential Saudi deal.

[maverick23]

Lots of talk that the Premier League will look to avoid the rights auction by accepting the same terms as the last year of the contract for the upcoming year.

If it happens then I’m sure that’ll piss off and impact DAZN. They’ll have been banking on some sort of package to get some decent numbers. I wonder if that’ll impact Matchroom’s thinking.

[garethhop]

Huge huge story about the Premier League rights.

With Champs League tied up until 2024, 6 Nations staying free to Air and Amazon tying up the Autumn internationals, the Rugby Premiership tied up until 2024, Cricket tied up until 2024, Formula 1 tied up until 2024 you wonder what it is that DAZN is going to go after to get a proper hold in the UK in the foreseeable.

This is going to be interesting.