ESPN3 Innovating and Picking up the Slack in Boxing

http://theboxingtruth.com/article.php?id=1895

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Sep 03, 2010 -
(Remember to catch the Wladimir Klitschko-Sam Peter heavyweight title affair this Saturday at 2 p.m. PST - 5 p.m. EST at this link.)

The future is here, the future is now, and the internet age has matured enough in recent years for what was once considered a far-fetched video platform (the world-wide web) is now able to provide boxing fans with their favorite sport of choice.

The biggest gripe amongst boxing fans domestically is the fact that the sweet science constantly and consistently asks them directly to subsidize the product via Pay-Per-View. With these economic conditions, it makes it extremely difficult to grow the fan base of fistic prowess when the product is constantly presented in such an expensive format.

The two premium networks HBO and Showtime are predominantly the purchasers of what would be considered the top match-ups within the sport in the U.S. If a fight fails to get picked up by either network, the Pay-Per-View route has largely been the predominant alternative of choice.

Luckily for boxing fans in the U.S., ESPN3 a website that operates as an extension of the ESPN brand has created an official, profesionally presented product for domestic boxing fans. It allows American fight fans the opportunity to watch bouts such as this weekend's Wladimir Klitschko-Sam Peter bout live and for free on the website.

In years past, without the outlet provided by ESPN3, this bout would have been relegated to a marginilized Pay-Per-View which would have been lambasted by long-time fanatics. Peter-Klitschko represents a good heavyweight match-up that doesn't warrant the Pay-Per-View label.

I was able to speak with the Senior Director of Programming, John Lasker regarding the ESPN3 platform and what the future might hold for this outlet:

JC: Is there any type of vision and/or strategy that ESPN3 looks to provide for the boxing fan in particular?

John Lasker: We're looking at incorporating boxing into our total sports content strategy. ESPN3 is looking to bring the highest quality events to the online boxing community and to provide an alternative as well as compliment the content found on the ESPN network on television.

JC: Being that the web is generally considered a global market, will ESPN3 be broadcasting these boxing events to the global audience or mainly the domestic audience here in the U.S.?

John Lasker: We use basically the same rights-purchasing protocol that we use for television that we use for ESPN3 so it will be solely the domestic audience here that will be able to view the live bouts we purchase the broadcast rights to. There will be different versions of the bouts available online in different parts of the world.

JC: What about the online ON-Demand version of the events? Will they be available for further review on the website?

John Lasker: Absolutely. Immediately following the live broadcast, the ON-Demand replay will be available on the website for any boxing fan to view at their leisure.

JC: What would be considered the standard of success as it pertains to the ESPN3/boxing broadcast? Is it the media coverage? Viewership figures?

John Lasker: It all really comes down to the viewership. From what we've observed, the boxing fans... especially here in the U.S. don't always get a fair shake in terms of the product they're presented and the outlet in which they can view their favorite sport. We're trying to help fill that void and give the boxing fans what they deserve. But yes, how we determine the ultimate success is the live viewership of the boxing events.

JC: Has ESPN looked into potentially collaborating with any of the set-top boxes currently making their way into the TV/internet market like Google's upcoming product or the Roku box?

John Lasker: We've actually partnered up with Microsoft as their X-box product will assist in bridging that gap between the computer screen and the television. They have a very strong online community and a very high rate of user engagement.

JC: What is the future plan for the ESPN3 platform in terms of it's boxing programming for the months and years to come especially being that the Friday Night Fights season has come to an end?

John Lasker: ESPN is always looking out to solve some of the issues that the sport fan might have with their particular sport of choice. We're constantly looking for high quality events that will fit our business model in order to give the boxing fan good value. We're working closely with Dough Loughrey from our boxing programming division to find ways to bring meaningful events to the ESPN3 platform and to build upon that even moreso in the future.

JC: Well John, thank you for your time and I hope to see ESPN3 continuing to innovate and bring the online boxing community the product that they deserve. It's an exciting time for an outlet such as yours being that the some of the other domestic networks seem terrified of the online world.

John Lasker: Thank you very much and thanks for the support!


It's an exciting time for the online boxing fan as little by little the broadcasters of our favorite sport are jumping into this broadband era full-fledged giving is the opportunity to break away from the Pay-Per-View broadcast/business model and finally into the 21st century.

ESPN 3 to stream on the Xbox? Damn! That's pretty sweet

gomez1012 wrote:

ESPN 3 to stream on the Xbox? Damn! That's pretty sweet

wtf??? that's awesome and right after the fight i could just play modern warfare 2 lmao

that is cool

Hat tip to the boys in Bristol!

Why, oh why, couldn't the boys in Bristol, or the boys at Showtime, have HBO's budget.