BoxRec

BIGMARK wrote:I think we all can see that boxing is in a lot trouble at the moment with the lack of TV coverage. This weekend 2 British fighters are fighting in decent fights

Junior Witter, but who else?

BIGMARK wrote:I think we all can see that boxing is in a lot trouble at the moment with the lack of TV coverage. This weekend 2 British fighters are fighting in decent fights and apart from no TV broadcasting it i expect very little or no press or radio coverage. I think these difficult times for the sport needs drastic measures. i personally would like to see all the Uk promoters put to one side the problems they have with each other and hold a meeting to try and come up with some sort of plan to save our sport. These guys have to learn to work together if the sport is going to move forward and stop the silly things like putting on domestic shows on the same night on different channels is just one example.
Now a lot of Promoters or people involved with promoters read these forums so lets try and have a decent debate with the hope they read some of our feedback and take it on board.

Sorry to p*ss on a well intended post - but your points have come out on this very forum time and time again.

TV channels read this forum - as well as many other people within the sport and basically once they get their heads out of their ar*es - they might then actually acknowledge there is a problem in the sport.

Even recently a lot of posters on this forum are taking things for granted by stating boxing survived before without a lot of TV and will do so again - quite simply they are failing to acknowledge the sport has a problem - and that failure alone is the biggest problem of all!!!

The Woods fight has a slim chance of going on the UK ESPN channel - it might entice a few more people to sign up for the £9 per month deal they have going!!

BIGMARK wrote:

Spud wrote:

BIGMARK wrote:I think we all can see that boxing is in a lot trouble at the moment with the lack of TV coverage. This weekend 2 British fighters are fighting in decent fights and apart from no TV broadcasting it i expect very little or no press or radio coverage. I think these difficult times for the sport needs drastic measures. i personally would like to see all the Uk promoters put to one side the problems they have with each other and hold a meeting to try and come up with some sort of plan to save our sport. These guys have to learn to work together if the sport is going to move forward and stop the silly things like putting on domestic shows on the same night on different channels is just one example.
Now a lot of Promoters or people involved with promoters read these forums so lets try and have a decent debate with the hope they read some of our feedback and take it on board.

Sorry to p*ss on a well intended post - but your points have come out on this very forum time and time again.

TV channels read this forum - as well as many other people within the sport and basically once they get their heads out of their ar*es - they might then actually acknowledge there is a problem in the sport.

Even recently a lot of posters on this forum are taking things for granted by stating boxing survived before without a lot of TV and will do so again - quite simply they are failing to acknowledge the sport has a problem - and that failure alone is the biggest problem of all!!!

i know we have covered some of these points Spud and i was thinking more a long the lines of a Summit meeting with all promters attending to thrash out a plan to move the sport back forward again.

Again a well intended point - but you are p*ssing in the wind if that is to ever happen - the promoters want to make their money on their own promotions as do the TV channels.

The best way to sort the problem out is to sack the entire of the BBBofC who are not willing to conform to change!! - they are the ones who sanction the fights - they are the ones who sanction these so called late replacement fights - they are the ones who have one rule for one and a completely different rule for their NOT so favourites - get them ****s sorted out and you go some way to sorting boxing out.

BIGMARK wrote:I think we all can see that boxing is in a lot trouble at the moment with the lack of TV coverage. This next month 2 British fighters are fighting in decent fights stateside and apart from no TV broadcasting it i expect very little or no press or radio coverage. I think these difficult times for the sport needs drastic measures. i personally would like to see all the Uk promoters put to one side the problems they have with each other and hold a meeting to try and come up with some sort of plan to save our sport. These guys have to learn to work together if the sport is going to move forward and stop the silly things like putting on domestic shows on the same night on different channels is just one example.
Now a lot of Promoters or people involved with promoters read these forums so lets try and have a decent debate with the hope they read some of our feedback and take it on board.

Get real, Mark.

Their are a lot of promoters about at the min, some of them are not going to make it, simple as. too many fishes in a small pond.

BIGMARK wrote:

Collins2000 wrote:

BIGMARK wrote:I think we all can see that boxing is in a lot trouble at the moment with the lack of TV coverage. This next month 2 British fighters are fighting in decent fights stateside and apart from no TV broadcasting it i expect very little or no press or radio coverage. I think these difficult times for the sport needs drastic measures. i personally would like to see all the Uk promoters put to one side the problems they have with each other and hold a meeting to try and come up with some sort of plan to save our sport. These guys have to learn to work together if the sport is going to move forward and stop the silly things like putting on domestic shows on the same night on different channels is just one example.
Now a lot of Promoters or people involved with promoters read these forums so lets try and have a decent debate with the hope they read some of our feedback and take it on board.

Get real, Mark.

would you like expand on your comment

Big Mark,

Why do you need Collins2000 to expand - quite simply his comment is "get real" - I have spelt out as good intended as your comments are you are p*ssing in the wind.

Big Mark - Again I will state "get real"

We are more advanced than the yanks - the BBBofC has standardised most of the Agenda points in this country - remember in the UK we have one governing body - that is not the case in the states!!!

Will the following be at that meeting:

Don King
Golden Boy Promotions
Top Rank (Bob Arum)
Art Pellulo

in addition will any of the following be there:

HBO
ESPN
Showtime

Then you have the multitude of governing bodies in the US - f*ck me the more I think of this the more I think you have gone wibble!!!

if they are not the meeting is a waste of time!! - its not giving up - its being real!!!

I then start to think of the UK and you are really barking mad if you think a bunch of us "anoraks" on a forum is going to force the promoters to work together - they will do if money forces them to do so - THAT WILL BE THE ONLY TIME THEY DO!!!

BIGMARK wrote:

Collins2000 wrote:

BIGMARK wrote:I think we all can see that boxing is in a lot trouble at the moment with the lack of TV coverage. This next month 2 British fighters are fighting in decent fights stateside and apart from no TV broadcasting it i expect very little or no press or radio coverage. I think these difficult times for the sport needs drastic measures. i personally would like to see all the Uk promoters put to one side the problems they have with each other and hold a meeting to try and come up with some sort of plan to save our sport. These guys have to learn to work together if the sport is going to move forward and stop the silly things like putting on domestic shows on the same night on different channels is just one example.
Now a lot of Promoters or people involved with promoters read these forums so lets try and have a decent debate with the hope they read some of our feedback and take it on board.

Get real, Mark.

would you like expand on your comment

All your ideas are great on paper but in reality none will ever come to fruition.

It's just wishfull thinking (most cases) bordering on total fantasy (a summit meeting of all promoters).

BIGMARK wrote:it seems that people have just given up on boxing then spud and i really believe the sport will be dead in the next 10 years unless the promoters do something about it. Promoters dont have to work together but if they keep working against each other by stopping decent fights and going up against each other on the same night then there is no hope.

Don't be a drama queen, Mark.

I suspect you have little knowledge of how the business of boxing actually works.

I dont get it, the boxing will carry on regardless, always has done,

Good luck, Mark.

Keep us up to date with your progress.

Meanwhile, I'll enjoy the great fights for the rest of the decade.

PS, if boxing is dead in 10 years I'll fly over to Sunny Spain and admit you were right and I was wrong and we can have a beer together and work out what sport we can then follow.

ERIC GUY wrote:I dont get it, the boxing will carry on regardless, always has done,

Spot on, Eric!

ERIC GUY wrote:I dont get it, the boxing will carry on regardless, always has done,

A lot of the interest in small hall shows comes from the fighters themselevs selling tickets , eg to mates, family, co-workers etc.

There might be more of that in the future.

We might also see a rise in boxing being shown (legitimatly) on the interent.

UMmmmm - now we are getting somewhere!!!

On one hand I think "BigMark" has some ideas that live in the land of cuckoo - whilst on the surface they seem perfectly rational - what we are talking about here is putting those ideas into effect in the egotistical, insular and elitist (no not you Payne!! ) world of boxing.

Then you have Eric Guy who does have a vast knowledge of the sport taking things for granted by stating "don't worry about things it will still be here in 10 years" - again on the surface I agree with Eric but what state will it be in and will there still be the small hall punters around - you also have to ask why are all these "white collar" and "semi pro" shows are surfacing - if professional boxing was that easy for the promoters we wouldn't have so many professional promoters sacking it - in addition in 10 years time I will guarantee yes the sport will have survived but it will be the TV promoters that have survived and they will dictate the direction of the sport and will that be healthy - the monopoly that a chosen few have - will that be healthy.

I will say it again - the BBBofC needs to grow some balls and stand up to the dictators and in addition it is them that can force the good fights - and when they try and the promoters cancel those fights through mystery injuries or illnesses they can stand up to the promoter and the emotional blackmail of "the show wont go on if you do not accept this replacement" by ensuring any substitute fighters are of reasonable standard and quality - same rule applies to the TV executives they have to have a stricter quality control.

The BBBofC has a massive part to play in boxing of the next few years and they need to start soon - they need to stop pussy footing around with the promoters and ensure it is they who govern the sport not the promoters.

BIGMARK mate, you keep refering to boxing as a single entity - "boxing needs a kick up the arse, boxing needs to do this and that". its not is it? and thats the flaw with many of your suggestions. theres no one entity within boxing that cares enough about the future of the sport as a whole that has enough power to do anything about it. everyone is out for their piece of pie and sod the rest.

its not ( for instance ) sky sports job to ensure the future of the sport. they do whats best for themselves and dont seem to have the faintest idea what might be going on in the rest of the boxing world.

if ( for instance ) allegedly can grab what little scraps of tv coverage there are for himself and his fighters, thats his money made. why should he give a shit if the sport suffers as a whole.

thats the crux of the situation as i see it. " boxing needs to get its act together " simply doesnt acknowledge the fractured guts of the sport

Here is a question..........

what if SKY ITV and BBC, stopped filming boxing, what would promoters do then?
Would boxing shows still go on? Would small halls get bigger attendances? Would big arenas have a large or small attendance!,

Boxing will carry on regardless of TV, and so will promoters that do the job of getting the fans to see the fights they make.
The money TV bring wont be there for the boxers, but the matches would probably be better.

The sport of boxing will always be fine, so long as enough people want to strap on gloves and fight. That side of it will remain.

The business side of boxing is in deep trouble, especially in this country, and boxing, even as a fringe sport, is in danger of dropping off completely. I honestly can't see where the sport will be in 10 years. Will there be any boxing on TV at all in 10 years? Maybe we'll suffer a blackout in as little as two or three years...

Of course, should the business side of boxing continue to deterioate, that will then effect the sport side of it. Will the kids of tomorrow be inclined to put on gloves and pursue boxing as a viable career choice, when there will possibly be other combat options out there? How many genuine boxing stars will there be in a few years?

Boxing promoters need to accept the fact they're out of touch with what the public, especially the younger public, want in a sport today. All our promoters are trying to deliver to fans the same product they were shifting in the 80s. It doesn't cut it anymore. While other sports move with the times, boxing and its fanbase are just getting older and older.

BIGMARK wrote:

Eraserhead wrote:The sport of boxing will always be fine, so long as enough people want to strap on gloves and fight. That side of it will remain.

The business side of boxing is in deep trouble, especially in this country, and boxing, even as a fringe sport, is in danger of dropping off completely. I honestly can't see where the sport will be in 10 years. Will there be any boxing on TV at all in 10 years? Maybe we'll suffer a blackout in as little as two or three years...

Of course, should the business side of boxing continue to deterioate, that will then effect the sport side of it. Will the kids of tomorrow be inclined to put on gloves and pursue boxing as a viable career choice, when there will possibly be other combat options out there? How many genuine boxing stars will there be in a few years?

Boxing promoters need to accept the fact they're out of touch with what the public, especially the younger public, want in a sport today. All our promoters are trying to deliver to fans the same product they were shifting in the 80s. It doesn't cut it anymore. While other sports move with the times, boxing and its fanbase are just getting older and older.

BOXING hasnt moved with the times and as you say the fan base is an old one. the last time i was in the UK i was shocked at how many UFC-MMA magazines were sale when i went to buy my Boxing news and this is where the young protential boxing fanbase have gone. I think its very naive that promoters dont see MMA as a threat because it is. I know it is a different sport but its steeling protenial boxings fans and the promoters need to see this and up their game.

ON THIS POINT I AGREE MARK , I PROMOTE MY SEMI PRO / WHITE COLLAR SHOWS AND ITS AMAZING HOM MANY LADS SAY THERE DOING CAGE FIGHTING NOW IN NOTTS DESPITE THEM HAVING DESCENT AMATEUR BOXING DAYS , IF ITS BEING NOTICED AT MY LEVEL THEN THAT FILTERS RIGHT THE WAY TO THE TOP , THERES LOADS OF PEOPLE , POSSIBLY MORE THAN EVER JOINING AMATEUR CLUBS , BUT THEY DROP OUT AND INTO MMA ETC AND THEN MAYBE THE BETTER ONES RETURN AS WHITE COLLAR BOXERS RATHER THAN PROS THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN GOOD ENOUGH AT ONE POINT , ALSO IN MY AREA THERES SEVERAL MMA PROMOTOORS THAT ARE ALL DOING WELL AND SELLING OUT SHOWS , ALTHOUGH THE WHITE COLLAR SCENE IS ALSO DOING WELL I STILL BELIEVE THERES DEFENATE SIGNS OF IT BEING EFFECTED BY MMA , I PERSOANALLY WOULDNT PUT A SHOW IN IN DIRECT COMPETITION WITH MMA , JST LIKE I WOULDNT WITH OTHER BOXING , SO IN THAT LIGHT IF I WONT PUT A SHOW ON AT SAME TIME THEN ITS OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE I SEE MMA AS A THREAT , I HOPE THAT MAKES SENSE .