Frank Warren on landmark deal for the sport of boxing in the UK and Ireland that will see dedicated boxing channel BoxNation join forces with broadcast giant BT Sport to show 30 live boxing events in 2017 among other things.
The announcement and it’s full details was initially made last Friday online but today a press conference was held at BT Tower in London to go through the deal for the press.
It appears to be a genuinely monumental deal for the sport of boxing from what I can analyse and gather thus far. One question at today’s press conference in particular from a journalist stood out I thought, which was:
“In direct competition with this is the Matchroom (headed by promoter Eddie Hearn) and Sky collaboration that started in 2012. What’s going to make you different from that?”
To which Promoter Frank Warren replied:
“More exposure. Bigger reach for the audience. More shows. We’re doing a minimum of 30 shows per year which makes us the busiest promoters in Europe. And our expertise. You think what we’ve done being little BoxNation. We’ve developed world champions. We’ve brought fighters through. We’ve developed fighters. We’ve managed over the last year to enable pay per view, which there will be some pay per view events. What do we do that’s different? This is what we do. We’re boxing. Cut us in half it says boxing. It doesn’t say dip into whatever’s around. It says boxing. That’s what we’re about and my commitment to boxing is as strong as it’s ever being.”
He continued:
“So from my point of view, as I’ve said earlier I’ve got the bit between my teeth and I’m going to deliver. And we’re going to deliver big for the boxers but more importantly as I keep demonstrating, for the fans. We’re about the fans. Giving the fans value for money. They buy the tickets and watch the shows. They can watch it on BT, they can watch the shows. They’re not paying over the price for tickets or whatever. This is what we are, boxing, and we will deliver the best. This gives boxers a choice. A real choice. The mantra that’s been put into the boxers heads for the last few years is that you won’t get the exposure if you box on BoxNation. Well now you’re boxing on BoxNation but you’re boxing on BT. You’re going to get the exposure. You’re going to get great exposure and it’s a bigger audience that you’re getting to with the various businesses that BT have to deliver that exposure.”
