BoxRec

Steve Bunce has just tweeted...

BBC London 94.9 Boxing Hour tonight is the last one. It's on at 9pm. Thanks for listening over the years. Adios.

Whatever you think of Bunce, I think this is a shame.

Perhaps no-one listens to his shows.

I used to listen via podcast, but he's a Corporate yes man now.

Quixall wrote:Perhaps no-one listens to his shows.

Well I don't know the actual listening figures but apparently it was one of the most downloaded podcasts.
Reading between the lines I think it's a scheduling issue rather than a lack of listeners.

The fat fornicator is slowly being kicked off the Beeb! Now lets have him off Fighting Talk aswell (and Rawling can follow him there)

That's a shame, I used to listen to the show. More boxing off the airwaves ....

Final round wrote:That's a shame, I used to listen to the show. More boxing off the airwaves ....

Why dont you listen anymore?

Adamj1987 wrote:

Final round wrote:That's a shame, I used to listen to the show. More boxing off the airwaves ....

Why dont you listen anymore?

Well as I'm always checking boxing news online, once a week is rarely current enough and when I've seen the weekends action already. There's not much else new to learn...but for the average sports fan who can get London Live on their radio I would have thought it's a decent show to drive around London or work to. I moved away from there a few years ago so only get it online.

ITS A DISGRACE THE WAY THE BBC TREATS BOXING ITS A CLASS THING THESE SNOBS GIVE US THE BOAT RACE WHEN WHAT WE WANT IS A GOOD OLD TEAR UP BUT U STILL GOT TO PAY TO KEEP THESE POSH GITS HAPPY IN THERE HOBYS

That's a real shame, always got me in the mood for the weekend's fights.

The funny thing is Boxing terminology is used all the fornicating time in all sports broadcasting but when it actually comes to actually supporting the sport none of the terrestrial channels give it the time of day. (apart form channel 5 of course who are desperate for any viewers)
Out of interest do five live or some other radio channel cover live boxing shows?

wappingboy wrote:ITS A DISGRACE THE WAY THE BBC TREATS BOXING ITS A CLASS THING THESE SNOBS GIVE US THE BOAT RACE WHEN WHAT WE WANT IS A GOOD OLD TEAR UP BUT U STILL GOT TO PAY TO KEEP THESE POSH GITS HAPPY IN THERE HOBYS

Whilst your point certainly has merit of the highest order, I believe that the Beeb might be doing a little bit more on boxing (not telly). They're covering Price v Skelton on the radio, for example, which wouldn't have got a look in a little while ago.

I've said it before and I'll probably say it again, I don't much care for Bunce on television but his radio and print work are good. It's a shame the show is ending.

wappingboy wrote:ITS A DISGRACE THE WAY THE BBC TREATS BOXING ITS A CLASS THING THESE SNOBS GIVE US THE BOAT RACE WHEN WHAT WE WANT IS A GOOD OLD TEAR UP BUT U STILL GOT TO PAY TO KEEP THESE POSH GITS HAPPY IN THERE HOBYS

I've met many a "posh git" who loves watching a tear up as much as the next man. It was the "posh gits" who funded the sport in the first place don't forget. Posh people and the dregs like us tend to get on pretty well and want the same things more or less, it's those within, and striving to be in, the (upper) middle class that fornicate things up. The Strictly/Downton crew (cracking one off over Natalie Lowe is OK, though).

dondada wrote:

wappingboy wrote:ITS A DISGRACE THE WAY THE BBC TREATS BOXING ITS A CLASS THING THESE SNOBS GIVE US THE BOAT RACE WHEN WHAT WE WANT IS A GOOD OLD TEAR UP BUT U STILL GOT TO PAY TO KEEP THESE POSH GITS HAPPY IN THERE HOBYS

Whilst your point certainly has merit of the highest order, I believe that the Beeb might be doing a little bit more on boxing (not telly). They're covering Price v Skelton on the radio, for example, which wouldn't have got a look in a little while ago.

Strong whispers that a certain franchise based hybrid tournament has gained interest from the Beeb.....

dbf wrote:Strong whispers that a certain franchise based hybrid tournament has gained interest from the Beeb.....

Good. I hope that's true. WSB is a far safer bet for the BBC than traditional pro boxing. You know what you're getting and when you're getting it. You can plan your schedule around it months out and the format and structure are simple. I am a huge supporter of the WSB and hope it takes off properly.

JLP wrote:

dbf wrote:Strong whispers that a certain franchise based hybrid tournament has gained interest from the Beeb.....

Good. I hope that's true. WSB is a far safer bet for the BBC than traditional pro boxing. You know what you're getting and when you're getting it. You can plan your schedule around it months out and the format and structure are simple. I am a huge supporter of the WSB and hope it takes off properly.

Agreed and with the success of boxing at the olympics and the brit team featuring two Olympic Silver Medalists its a good sell.

JLP wrote:

dbf wrote:Strong whispers that a certain franchise based hybrid tournament has gained interest from the Beeb.....

Good. I hope that's true. WSB is a far safer bet for the BBC than traditional pro boxing. You know what you're getting and when you're getting it. You can plan your schedule around it months out and the format and structure are simple. I am a huge supporter of the WSB and hope it takes off properly.

ESPN have the exclusive rights for all British fights in the World Series of Boxing. What else could it be that the BBC is interested in as ESPN only secured the rights for this 2 weeks ago.

http://www.espn.co.uk/boxing/sport/story/180142.html

I watched the events against USA Knockouts and D&G Italia Thunder. The British Lionhearts are a very strong team. Am I the only one watching this?

chad wrote:

JLP wrote:

dbf wrote:Strong whispers that a certain franchise based hybrid tournament has gained interest from the Beeb.....

Good. I hope that's true. WSB is a far safer bet for the BBC than traditional pro boxing. You know what you're getting and when you're getting it. You can plan your schedule around it months out and the format and structure are simple. I am a huge supporter of the WSB and hope it takes off properly.

ESPN have the exclusive rights for all British fights in the World Series of Boxing. What else could it be that the BBC is interested in as ESPN only secured the rights for this 2 weeks ago.

http://www.espn.co.uk/boxing/sport/story/180142.html

I watched the events against USA Knockouts and D&G Italia Thunder. The British Lionhearts are a very strong team. Am I the only one watching this?

Not exclusive rights. Other broadcasters can get rights too. Plus ESPN only agreed to group stages. Plenty of room for the BBC. WSB streamed it live for free on the internet too.

The BBC did a pretty good job covering the build up of the Hatton comeback. It made the news with lots of interviews etc.

It is what we should be expecting from a coorporation that we are paying for.

Everything about the WSB ticks the right boxes, but somehow it still doesn't make good TV. Admittedly as I don't subscribe to ESPN I've not seen the home shows of the British team but the atmosphere in these shows usually seem quite dead.

Perhaps cause the standard is so realitively even you can say that 95% of the time the fight is going to go the distance before the 1st bell. With a 12 rounder, with fatigue etc you know there is a greater chance of a KO.

In some ways it reminds me of that ill fated A1 Grand Prix thing, where the cars were evenly matched - and nations were racing against each other. It should have been more exciting than F1, but it just didn't capture the attention at all.

stujones wrote:Everything about the WSB ticks the right boxes, but somehow it still doesn't make good TV. Admittedly as I don't subscribe to ESPN I've not seen the home shows of the British team but the atmosphere in these shows usually seem quite dead.

I've watched every single WSB event produced since it launched. I'm a bit of skills and technique geek. I also enjoy watching nascent talent develop and believe evenly matched bouts are the best way to achieve that development. So, for me, it makes excellent watching. I can, though, understand why those who like watching boxing to see people getting their heads taken off might not appreciate it. I think there's a place on TV/On-line for all variations of the sport with the exception of matches featuring journeyman lacking any ambition whatsoever. Keep that sort of sparring for the gym and small hall shows that require their hopeless local 'star' to both sell tickets and win in order to make ends meet.

JLP wrote:

stujones wrote:Everything about the WSB ticks the right boxes, but somehow it still doesn't make good TV. Admittedly as I don't subscribe to ESPN I've not seen the home shows of the British team but the atmosphere in these shows usually seem quite dead.

I've watched every single WSB event produced since it launched. I'm a bit of skills and technique geek. I also enjoy watching nascent talent develop and believe evenly matched bouts are the best way to achieve that development. So, for me, it makes excellent watching. I can, though, understand why those who like watching boxing to see people getting their heads taken off might not appreciate it. I think there's a place on TV/On-line for all variations of the sport with the exception of matches featuring journeyman lacking any ambition whatsoever. Keep that sort of sparring for the gym and small hall shows that require their hopeless local 'star' to both sell tickets and win in order to make ends meet.

I watched the first series religiously on Premier sports, and appreciated it and really enjoyed it. However, it was a ratings failiure for the channel and I could see why if being honest. Boxing enthusiast are in the minority I'm afraid, although I am convinced boxing shouldn't be a minority sport. When the occasion is right it is still a ratings success - but it needs to have a buzzing atmosphere.

Well, I'm sorry to see Bunce's Boxing Hour being taken off the air.
I enjoyed his podcast, and don't think I missed a single one in the three or so years it was on.

I can only hope some other radio distributor picks it up, which should be expected if the mentioned figures of 40,000 weekly downloads is even remotely correct.
The problem would probably be money, there's a lot more hours of work involved in a radio show than the one we get to listen to - and no one works for free.
Thank you, Steve Bunce, for a great show!

-KOKid- wrote:Well, I'm sorry to see Bunce's Boxing Hour being taken off the air.
I enjoyed his podcast, and don't think I missed a single one in the three or so years it was on.

I can only hope some other radio distributor picks it up, which should be expected if the mentioned figures of 40,000 weekly downloads is even remotely correct.
The problem would probably be money, there's a lot more hours of work involved in a radio show than the one we get to listen to - and no one works for free.
Thank you, Steve Bunce, for a great show!

Yeah, imagine there could be a fair few costs. Recently the Real Radio Sports Phone in got axed and I would imagine that this was pulling in a few viewers. In Wales it was certainly talked about a lot. The reasons where not due to poor ratings but because it wasn't financially viable.

Who knows the reasons why the Bunce hour is off air now. Perhaps its due to a commitment to allegedly. Who knows, might not have been axed as such but Steve could no longer do it.

stujones wrote:

JLP wrote:

stujones wrote:Everything about the WSB ticks the right boxes, but somehow it still doesn't make good TV. Admittedly as I don't subscribe to ESPN I've not seen the home shows of the British team but the atmosphere in these shows usually seem quite dead.

I've watched every single WSB event produced since it launched. I'm a bit of skills and technique geek. I also enjoy watching nascent talent develop and believe evenly matched bouts are the best way to achieve that development. So, for me, it makes excellent watching. I can, though, understand why those who like watching boxing to see people getting their heads taken off might not appreciate it. I think there's a place on TV/On-line for all variations of the sport with the exception of matches featuring journeyman lacking any ambition whatsoever. Keep that sort of sparring for the gym and small hall shows that require their hopeless local 'star' to both sell tickets and win in order to make ends meet.

I watched the first series religiously on Premier sports, and appreciated it and really enjoyed it. However, it was a ratings failiure for the channel and I could see why if being honest. Boxing enthusiast are in the minority I'm afraid, although I am convinced boxing shouldn't be a minority sport. When the occasion is right it is still a ratings success - but it needs to have a buzzing atmosphere.

I get that, Stu, and I do agree. That's why the BBC is the right place for WSB. As you'll know, ratings are not the be all and end all at White City/Salford, the Corporation has a mandate and values to fulfil, not shareholders to satisfy.