Pay-per-view: Fans willing to pay to see boxers get ready to rumble

Mark Taffet, who launched HBOPPV in 1991, talks to The National about boxing and the business of PPV and Manny Pacquiao’s place in the pantheon of greats.

Not too many sports fans would pay for the privilege of watching a one-off game of football or cricket on their TV.

So why are people willing to splash out up to US$100 to watch the biggest boxing matches in the privacy of their own home?

Mark Taffet, is an industry insider who worked at HBO Sports for 25 years, launched HBOPPV in 1991 and has overseen 190 PPV, or pay per view, events generating 65 million buys and $3.6 billion of revenue.

Here, he talks to The National about boxing and the business of pay-per view and Manny Pacquiao's place in the pantheon of greats.

What does a fighter need in order to be a PPV star?

I believe there are seven critical factors a fighter has to have to be a PPV star:

In ring style. The ability to excite and entertain fans and to knock out an opponent at any time. Out of ring persona. A clear character and style that distinguishes him from other fighters and allows fans to identify with him.

Natural rivalries. A fighter in and around his weight class who fans are talking about or looking forward to, creating a natural build-up to the eventual match-ups. Demographics.

If all else is equal, fighters who are Latino or African-American have the benefit of the most vibrant fan segments in the sport.

Savvy use of media and technology. Fighters who are engaged in social media can build large, loyal fan bases and can communicate with them directly and regularly.

Floyd Mayweather was a genius at this as a fighter and Oscar De La Hoya does it superbly in his capacity as a promoter.

Hard work outside of the ring. The willingness to make oneself available to the media on a regular basis.

The elusive “it” factor. Something that is intangible and difficult to describe but creates a large aura around the biggest sports and entertainment stars. It’s the difference between being a star and being a PPV star.

These seven critical factors make a fighter not just worth the fans’ time but also worth the fans’ hard-earned money.

Historically who have been the biggest PPV stars and why?

The five big PPV stars in boxing history in chronological order are: Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather, and Manny Pacquiao. All of these fighters have at least five of the seven critical factors necessary for PPV stardom.

Where do you think Pacquiao stands in comparison to other fighters of the PPV era in terms of success and appeal?

Manny Pacquiao is as big a superstar as the other four biggest PPV stars in history.

Interestingly, Manny not only is the last of the group chronologically but also is the only non-American to hit the PPV megastar stratosphere.

Manny didn’t have the benefit of the African American fan base of Mayweather or the Hispanic fan support of Oscar.

He didn’t have the benefit of the US media coverage available to fighters who reside in the US and thus are more often and naturally available to the media.

But Manny’s fighting style was electric, his march through so many weight classes was historic and he had great rivalries and nine total fights with some of the greatest fighters in Mexico’s history in Marquez, Morales and Barrera.

Fans knew that Manny’s fights were not just worth their time but were also worth their money.

Why are big fights so successful in the US on PPV?

When I did the research and wrote the business plan for HBOPPV back in late 1990, one of the greatest factors of differentiation and indicators of PPV success I identified for boxing vis-à-vis other sports was that the PPV experience in boxing was actually a vast improvement over the then existing viewing experience.

Big fights back then were seen on closed-circuit television where viewers had to drive to a stadium or arena or racetrack, watch a large screen from a distance with poor picture quality and poor sound and put up with food and drink thrown in the air and fans screaming in their space.

PPV allowed fans to gather with friends and family in a communal social setting in the comfort of their own living room with much better picture and sound and all for a price which approximated the cost of a movie ticket when divided among everyone.

As a result, when the right big fights were presented on PPV, fans looked forward to a Super Bowl type of experience with anticipation and a smile.

Do you think that the existing PPV model for big boxing fights is sustainable?

When the right fights are presented on PPV, when the biggest and best fight the biggest and best, and when there are three or four as opposed to eight or 10 fights on PPV in a given year the fans are, and I believe always will be, supportive.

Fans love the Super Bowl-like experience of a big fight, the social experience with family and friends, and the experience of something big and live.

Boxing is still the most basic and intriguing level of competition; one against one, mano a mano, one wins and the other loses. And when you combine that with [ring announcer] Michael Buffer’s historic ‘Let’s get ready to rumble!’ you have the makings of a great and memorable night.

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