When the idea was first hatched to make the fight between Manny Pacquiao and Oscar De La Hoya, it was believed by those involved that this promotion could procure the same type of pay-per-view totals derived for De La Hoya’s battle versus Floyd Mayweather last year, which set records with nearly 2.2 million purchases that totaled $120 million in revenue.
And why not?
The formula is eerily similar. You still have De La Hoya, who remains the most popular, transcendent fighter in the sport. And Pacquiao – who like Mayweather at the time – is considered the best fighter in the world pound-for-pound, and one who is actually an exciting performer with his own fanbase.
It seemed like a lock to do at least 2 million. This reporter was so confident it would achieve those landmarks that I actually wagered a dinner with a friend (who works in the boxing business intimately) that Pacquiao-De La Hoya would do at least 1.5 million buys. Well, with this economy and recent pay-per-view performances, it looks like tacquitos (Rafael’s ‘house special’ in Montebello off of Beverly and Wilcox) will be on me.
There’s no doubt that this event will still be the most successful pay-per-view event of 2008, far surpassing the half-million buys that Roy Jones-Felix Trinidad did back in January. But just how far have the projections been scaled down for this promotion?
?Look, we’re keenly aware of how demanding consumers are in these economic times. Consumers are more focused on value than ever before and we’ve made some real efforts to try to make sure that this event has the value that consumers deserve,” said Mark Taffet, the Sr. V.P. of Sports Operations and Pay-Per-View. “From a consumer standpoint, you’ve got the biggest fighter in the sport against the best fighter in the sport. It’s exactly the type of marquee matchup that these times require. On the undercard you’ve got two of the bright young stars of the future, Victor Ortiz and Juan Manuel Lopez.
“So the sport of boxing gets to put its best foot forward, in terms of the stars of today, and also the promise of tomorrow. From a sponsor perspective, two of the sponsors – Tecate and Coke’s ‘Full Throttle’ energy drink – are providing $20 mail-in rebates of the pay-per-view purchase price. That’s unprecedented for consumers and we knew that particularly this time of year, people are going to be gathering with at least five-to-seven people per household on average in a Super Bowl-like environment, having a night of camaraderie and spreading that cost, to a point where it’s equal to the cost of a ticket to the movies.
?So we think all those variables together will create the type of value that consumers are simply demanding in those times. And if there’s one fight that’s going to attract consumers this year, we’re hopeful that De La Hoya-Pacquiao is the fight.”
Without the rebates, the pay-per-view will cost you $54.95. Which begs this question – isn’t that a tad pricey in this current marketplace? I mean, when does the threshold break 60 bucks? Then 70? It wasn’t that long ago that major pay-per-view shows could be had for forty dollars.
?We’re aware of the fact that consumers are going to look at this event and evaluate if Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao is going to be worth their time and worth their purchase,” said Taffet. “But again, we’re hopeful that this event is not just an A-level event, it’s an A-plus level event. It’s the Super Bowl of our sport, it’s the BCS Bowl game final or the World Series of our sport and we’re hopeful that consumers will recognize that value when they look at this event.”
The last two events on HBO PPV, featuring Bernard Hopkins-Kelly Pavlik on October 15th and Joe Calzaghe-Roy Jones on November 8th, both did well under 300,000 buys, well below expectations.
“We were definitely disappointed in the results on both Pavlik-Hopkins and Calzaghe-Jones pay-per-view fights,” admitted Taffet. “It reinforced for us just how demanding consumers are in this marketplace. It told us we have to work that much harder to earn the consumers? purchase, not only in providing the right product to them, but also in the way that we market it and make the consumer aware of the events and how we get them involved in the events.”
For this event, HBO had introduced several digital initiatives that have been dispersed throughout the internet to promote the fight. Which is all well and good, but you can have all the bells and whistles you want – the bottom line is that times are tough, and with belts being tightened all over, money that was spent on entertainment and fun are now being used for necessities like groceries and the baby?s shoes.
And simply put, there are too many pay-per-view events nowadays. There used to be a time when ‘pay-per-view’ meant something truly special and big, and would take place no more than three, four times a year. Now, it’s been watered down to a point where HBO PPV now regularly averages between eight and ten events every twelve months. Pay-per-view events need to be curbed.
And guess what? Taffet agrees.
“Absolutely. One of the great benefits that’s going to come out of this current environment is that in 2009 there will be more big fights, regularly, live on the HBO monthly subscription service. That means a bigger audience and more availability to more boxing fans and the opportunity to create new boxing fans. When you talk about the new generation of stars, there are a dozen young outstanding fighters today who are going to become the anchors of ‘Boxing After Dark’ in 2009. So we’re really encouraged that boxing fans will have a great year and the sport will return to a better balance of fights that are live on HBO and fights that are on pay-per-view. Pay-per-view will be reserved for those fights that are more truly and easily recognized as mega-fights and fights that are worth people’s money – not just worth their time.”
So will we see, more or less, four or five events on HBO Pay-Per-View as compared to the usual average we have in recent years?
?I would say this, I can’t put a number on it but it probably is reasonable to expect that there could be half the number of events next year because it might only be four events that are really worthy in this environment of that pay-per-view moniker in 2009. And we’re simply going to do the right thing and present only the biggest and best on pay-per-view, if and when, they occur. There are always mega-fights every year that, for all types of reasons, gravitate toward pay-per-view, but we’re very excited about the fact that we should have a vibrant HBO live boxing schedule, one that we think will contribute to the resurgence of the sport.”
24/7
Is it just me, or is the 24/7 on Pacquiao-De La Hoya on HBO really contrived, almost to a point of being staged? I know they lack an antagonist like a Mayweather, but they have really gone overboard in portraying both fighters as these devoted family men. I mean, seriously, Manny doing the sonogram on his wife’s stomach? One source told me that was all HBO’s idea and another told me that the thing didn’t even work and that the sound effects of the baby swirling around in Jinkee’s stomach were added.
It?s not real, it’s HBO, I guess.
With as much access as they are granted, can’t they just get organic shots of the fighters and make this thing go? I’ve been to the Wild Card Gym many years and I’ve never seen Pacquiao ever shadowbox on the roof (but granted, it’s a neat looking shot). The whole thing just looks over-produced and too glossy. It’s about as ‘reality’ as ‘The Hills’ on MTV.
Oh, and did De La Hoya buy ‘The Ring’ or something? Or does he just really like their shirts?
Perhaps they will address this in the last episode, but why hasn’t the issue of De La Hoya luring Pacquiao with a briefcase full of money back in 2006 been addressed? It seems to be a juicy – and more importantly, real – storyline. So real that it touched off a legal tug-of-war between the Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions, and it’s clear judging by his statements that De La Hoya still harbors ill-feelings over Pacquiao going back to Bob Arum’s company. It’s still a subject that fascinates many observers.
Perhaps HBO doesn’t want to stain the pristine corporate reputation of their ‘Golden Boy’.
But it’s another example of how this 24/7 is a case of style over substance.
FAREWELL
After December 12th, long-time Main Events publicist Donald Tremblay will no longer be on his post with the company. Tremblay was a consummate professional and beyond that, a good guy. He will be missed by those on our side of the table.
Good luck to Donald in all his future endeavors.
FINAL FLURRIES
The ‘Versus’ network is presenting a special edition of ‘Fight Night’ on Thursday 8 pm, eastern, that will feature De La Hoya-Vargas II and Pacquiao-Morales II….On Friday and Saturday, Teddy Atlas will be in Bristol, CT doing live hits on ESPN for Pacquiao-De La Hoya….Before you call me Oliver Stone, I’ve seen with my own eyes where they asked Antonio Margarito to enter through a door four times for a ‘Countdown’ show. How hard is it to get a shot of a guy entering a doorway?….Would it be in bad taste to say that Plaxico Burress’ favorite offense is the Run-and-Shoot?….Speaking of Margarito, as he begins camp for the Mosley fight, he looks a lot more like the ‘Tijuana Torta’ than the ‘Tijuana Tornado’…..It’s not even close, LeBron James, right now, is the best player in the NBA…..Anyone read Bill Plaschke’s column on Tuesday in the LA Times regarding the Oscar statue in front of the Staples Center? I think he pretty much nailed it on the head….
