Another brilliant feature written by the brilliant Thomas Hauser in this months Boxing Monthly.
The case study of the problems at HBO Sports and their treatment of promoters and boxers and their general lack of understanding, interest or compassion towards the boxing community is an interesting one. The tipping point comes with the loss of Pacman's fight with Mosely with Top Rank Promoter moving to Showtime PPV and benefitting from terrestial tv promotion from Showtimes sister company - the CBS network.
Hauser takes the reader back a couple of years before this latest fallout and highlights an array of systemic problems at HBO.
Bob Arum, has pulled a masterstroke in what he has received in his contract from Showtime/HBO for the total package in the promotion of the Pac-Mosely fight. Instead of marketing to a network of 30 million (HBO) he has moved his premier boxing star onto a network of over 115 million customers (i.e. with the significant, primetime TV advertisement of the fight on terrestial CBS).
I couldnt help thinking how this business could possibly trickle across the Atlantic to UK boxing coverage. For example, the likes of allegedly currently possesses a real star in the making, a potential PPV star in James Degale. Of course there are several other including Frankie Gavin. But, can you imagine if someone like ITV decided to try and adopt the Showtime/CBS model?
A possible scenario of say, Warren (who has made no secret of his admiration of how Arum runs his business) moving to ITV with his stable. ITV launching a PPV channel for world title fights for stars like Degale, Gavin and others (in the future) and ITV hyping these stars on primetime TV shows, guest appearances on top TV shows. A 24/7 type documentary of the top fights. The target audience that the fights are promoted to on terrestial tv dwarfs the numbers on Sky's platform.