[tomee]

Bad move by channel 5.

[coventrywooo]

since when?

[THOMO]

Originally Posted by tomee

Bad move by channel 5.

Source please!!
Ian.

[GeorgeS]

They have publicly denied this, but admitted they have no events line up at present. Still negotiating is the line apparently.

[SamuelW]

Channel5 want to show boxing but Hennessy and other promoters are pricing them out.

[mlt11]

Programme on R5L last night implies there is very, very little money in pro boxing at the moment.

Apparently most of British Olympians from 2012 are remaining "amateur" as they can earn more money that way.

This must imply that none of the TV channels are offering promoters serious money.

[tony321]

Should have been James de Gale fighting this Saturday on C5 and that card has been cancelled. Be interesting to see if they show Tyson Furys fight next month ?

[SamuelW]

Not surprised theres no money in boxing. When free to air broadcasters spend years building up the profile of good up and coming British boxers, for them to only piss off to pay tv when the big world title fights come around a few years later, must annoy terrestrial tv channels. They just dont bother with it anymore, whats the point.

[tony321]

The trouble is that the fights that people want like Fury v Price don't get made and then Price gets ko'd by someone he should be beating.

Can't blame the broadcasters being wary now as they've been burnt so many times.

[GeorgeS]

When was the last sport shown on Five? It must have been last year sometime.

[batdude_uk1]

Ever since C5 gave up the Europa League, their commitment to showing sport has plummeted, which is a massive shame really, as the more channels showing live sport the better I say.

[1andrew1]

Channel 5 advised a fan on Twitter today that it has no plans to show boxing at the moment.
http://news.boxrec.com/news/2013/cha...-boxing-moment

It now lists Poker as one of its sports!

The World's Strongest Man final (1 Jan 2013) may have been the last 'sporting' event the channel showed.

[tomee]

Originally Posted by tomee

Bad move by channel 5.

Originally Posted by coventrywooo

since when?

Originally Posted by THOMO

Source please!!
Ian.

http://www.worldboxingnews.net/news/...in-future.html

[tomee]

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/media/ne...-shake-up.html

Head of factual, news and current affairs Andrew O'Connell and head of factual entertainment and sport Steve Gowans will be leaving the broadcaster "following discussion and a mutual agreement"

[redknickers]

This Channel is a joke!!

[JamSir]

Channel 5's last live sport apart from boxing was the Great Birmingham Run and Great South Run running events, shown last October.

They do have a deal with the ECB to screen highlights of England's home cricket matches which runs until 2017 and is unlikely to change, especially with the Ashes series coming up this summer.

[Caxton]

Originally Posted by redknickers

This Channel is a joke!!

Why is it a joke? The channel shows what it wants, they are under no obligation to show boxing or any other sport. They obviously do not think that boxing will attract a decent audience, otherwise they would be very happy to show it.

Perhaps the BBC, who do not have to make money keeping advertisers happy, will take it up.

[mr_wonderful]

Originally Posted by Caxton

Why is it a joke? The channel shows what it wants, they are under no obligation to show boxing or any other sport. They obviously do not think that boxing will attract a decent audience, otherwise they would be very happy to show it.

Perhaps the BBC, who do not have to make money keeping advertisers happy, will take it up.

Whatever the reasons, its nothing to do with ratings as they have been relatively strong.

[Meepers]

There have been very few Hennessy events since the last broadcast. So its not like they are ignoring them.

There has to be a pause for reflection, as despite the talk, the actual bouts have been lousy, and even as boxing fan its been tough going. I wouldnt be surprised if Channel5 drive a hard bargain, as its not like the events are must sees, even for the level of boxing, the bouts are just not up to where they need to be.

[Harfynn Teuport]

Originally Posted by Meepers

There have been very few Hennessy events since the last broadcast. So its not like they are ignoring them.

There has to be a pause for reflection, as despite the talk, the actual bouts have been lousy, and even as boxing fan its been tough going. I wouldnt be surprised if Channel5 drive a hard bargain, as its not like the events are must sees, even for the level of boxing, the bouts are just not up to where they need to be.

Agree with this. Add to the fact that you just know that if/when any of these "Channel 5" fighters actually get anywhere and end up boxing for world titles, they'll be on Premier Sports or BoxNation or Sky or that Desmond PPV channel that I can't recall the name of and it's just not that attractive a thing. I said it on the BoxNation investment thread, since the advent of pay TV it has been the natural home of boxing. Only a British fighter of the public stature of Benn, Eubank, Bruno, McGuigan, etc. will make boxing a viable FTA proposition.

[tomee]

Originally Posted by Harfynn Teuport

Agree with this. Add to the fact that you just know that if/when any of these "Channel 5" fighters actually get anywhere and end up boxing for world titles, they'll be on Premier Sports or BoxNation or Sky or that Desmond PPV channel that I can't recall the name of and it's just not that attractive a thing. I said it on the BoxNation investment thread, since the advent of pay TV it has been the natural home of boxing. Only a British fighter of the public stature of Benn, Eubank, Bruno, McGuigan, etc. will make boxing a viable FTA proposition.

Richard desmond PPV boxing channel is called primetime.

[blueisthecolour]

I've always thought that boxing really needs a better competition structure. Rather than just arranging fights on the basis of one off public interest they need to set up a league or regular knock out (pardon the pun) tournament format. It should make fights more competitive and the sport less like WWE.

[Harfynn Teuport]

Originally Posted by blueisthecolour

I've always thought that boxing really needs a better competition structure. Rather than just arranging fights on the basis of one off public interest they need to set up a league or regular knock out (pardon the pun) tournament format. It should make fights more competitive and the sport less like WWE.

It's just not practical. In a sport like boxing, you can't enter the ring unless you're 100% fit... you will lose if you're lucky and get seriously hurt if you aren't. Fights are organised according to how a boxer emerges from his previous fight and in line with the necessary recuperation required. One size does not fit all. When the idea is to inflict suffering on your opponent, it has to be a case of welfare and safety driving everything else.

[popeye13]

Some reports that Channel 5 are in talks to secure the rights for Tyson Fury's fight in the US but then they would also be treating this as their swan-song from the sport and walk away.
If you want boxing, your best bet is Boxnation.
Sky have some fights too, but FTA tv gets stiffed endlessly by promoters and Channel 5 don't exactly make their own lives easy by being arsey on costs

[JCR]

Originally Posted by blueisthecolour

I've always thought that boxing really needs a better competition structure. Rather than just arranging fights on the basis of one off public interest they need to set up a league or regular knock out (pardon the pun) tournament format. It should make fights more competitive and the sport less like WWE.

As mentioned by Harfynn Teuport, tournaments in combat sports don't tend to work well due to the number of injuries. The last major one in MMA- Strikeforce heavyweight tournament- was won by someone- Daniel Cormier- who was not in it originally.