The PPV Market: Too Much?

The PPV Market: Too Much?

Boxing fans are certainly enjoying the current boom in the sport, but it’s also fair to say it’s an incredibly expensive time to be a fan of the noble art.

Tonight’s World Boxing Super Series super middleweight final between George Groves and Callum Smith will mark the third straight weekend, UK fans have had to purchase a PPV event to see a big fight.

Golovkin vs Alvarez 2 was followed last week by Joshua vs Povetkin and the ITV Box Office offering tonight will complete the trilogy.

The 3 PPV’s were all on different platforms, BT Sport, Sky and ITV and this of course is on top of our regular subscriptions to BT Sport, Sky Sports and BoxNation.

The last 3 weeks will end with a near additional £60 outlay to whatever other subscriptions we have.

It doesn’t end tonight, more are to follow before the year is out, Bellew vs Usyk, Wilder vs Fury and Warrington vs Frampton are all on the horizon with others like Brook vs Khan, Whyte vs Chisora, Eubank Jr vs DeGale and even another tiresome return of Floyd Mayweather all possible.

With that sort of potential outlay leading up to Christmas, Santa might be having a less strenuous time on his far too big once a year delivery.

Begrudgingly we have to accept the UK market is changing, but there needs to be a balance and a clear definition as to what justifies a PPV fight.

ITV entered the PPV market with Chris Eubank Jr and the lightly regarded, some would say meaningless, IBO title being part of the deal. I resisted the temptation for me it wasn’t PPV worthy, nowhere near.

As I have said before I don’t begrudge a fighter earning more money through one of their fights being on PPV, good luck to them and after all nobody has to buy the PPV, if there is a gap in the market promoters will exploit it.

Josh Warrington against Carl Frampton is undoubtedly a great fight, but is it more of a trade fight rather than a mainstream PPV showcase. The numbers will be very interesting especially as it’s so close to Christmas and it will be the last of the PPV offerings for 2018, our piggy banks may well be empty at that point.

With so many PPV shows coming up, the undercard undoubtedly suffers, Joshua Povetkin a prime example. The PPV shouldn’t just be about the main event, it has to be value for money, you don’t watch a film just for the ending.

Money will be made by all, so little will change in the near future, and if we want the big fights we will have to pay for them. But I do worry if it’s all getting a little too much in more ways than one.