Mayweather-Marquez ticket sales still a problem
by Scott Christ on Sep 2, 2009 4:49 PM EDT
in Boxing News Analysis
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T.K. Stewart reports that ticket sales for the September 19 fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez are still a troublesome sign that the fight just hasn't sold, isn't selling, and isn't going to sell.
Back when this fight was scheduled for July 18 (after being announced on the afternoon of May 2), Golden Boy fighter and office man Shane Mosley reportedly said that less than 3,000 tickets had moved for the fight, which was scrapped due to an alleged training injury to Mayweather.
The fight was moved to the weekend of Mexican Independence Day, a clear indicator that something more may have been postponing the bout than just a roughed-up rib on Floyd. This was a strange business decision even when you take into account that Mexican fans are probably the most loyal boxing pay-per-view audience there is, what with UFC 103 taking place on the same night.
But it doesn't look like it's worked. Anticipation has been minimal, hype for the show has mostly been about how hard of a sell it's been, and tickets are still readily available at every price for the 17,000-seat MGM Grand in Vegas.
Hotel rooms at the MGM Grand are also plentiful on the weekend of the fight. The MGM is offering deeply discounted packages for hotel room and fight ticket combinations. The "VIP" packages include fight tickets, a complimentary limousine ride to and from McCarran International Airport, as well as credits that total $200 for food, beverage, and use of various extras the hotel offers.
...
Tickets for the Pacquiao vs. Cotto fight became available to the public on Aug. 17. Within a matter of hours, Bob Arum, chairman of Top Rank, Inc. announced that the arena was a virtual sell-out. Arum indicated that advance bulk orders of tickets had been placed by the Las Vegas casino operators and "only 2,100 would be sold to the public."
Tickets had been on sale less than 24 hours when Top Rank announced that approximately 1,000 seats remained and those were in the highest price ranges - indicating that a sellout is a virtual certainty – nearly two months in advance of the fight.
There is absolutely no question -- NO QUESTION WHATSOEVER -- that Cotto-Pacquiao is a hotter ticket than Mayweather-Marquez, and there's no spinning this one from the "Pretty Boy," because about the only nice thing he's said about Marquez is that he has a lot of Mexican fans and would be good for business.
So who's to blame? Is Marquez less popular than Mayweather thought? Or could it possibly be that Mayweather, after two years off doing pro wrestling shows and occasionally popping up to run his mouth, just isn't the draw he thought he was? Mayweather was never a draw before he met Oscar de la Hoya in 2007, and while his fight with Ricky Hatton did well, that was a special circumstance. His name was hot, both men were undefeated, and their personality clashes made for a marketing dream scenario.
This isn't the same. Marquez is being treated even by HBO's production team as an afterthought, a name and little more, trying to do something miraculous with such a low possibility of successfully slaying the dragon that he might as well go ahead and marinate himself in spices before he gets eaten alive.
Promotion has been horrible, and to add to that, too many fans, writers, etc., think they're seeing through this one. It's Mayweather back to his old tricks, in their minds, taking on a smaller man that can't beat him for a paycheck and nothing more.
One more note from T.K. Stewart:
A popular on-line ticketing service is currently selling a ringside seat to Mayweather vs. Marquez for $4,590 each. The exact same seat for Pacquiao vs. Cotto is currently priced at $10,943.
Any questions from Team Mayweather?
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was there ever any doubt?
i said it before, they should have dumped this mess of a fight altogether when mayweather pulled out and they should have tried to make mayweather vs mosley. that would have made it a fight people would actually WANT to watch. they are out of their minds if they think marquez is some kind of draw.
this shameful idea of a fight, promotion, the matchup, etc is just one huge clusterfuck. hopefully hbo and golden boy learn their lesson and quit trying to sell the public dogshit.
ufc by a landslide in the ppv numbers.
@mikefareri on twitter.
This
And also, if this a preview of the “Mayweather Promotions” way of marketing a fight then I hope scum and bottomfeeders like Arum and King live to be 150 years old. We’ll probably still need them.
"This fight'll be the nastiest thing you'll ever see. I been sober for six weeks, and that makes me vicious."
-- Randall 'Tex' Cobb
Bingo..
Honestly why is any of this surprising.
A lot of us were pretty damn sure this fight just wasn’t going to sell and the rib injury bs is look increasinly like a lie.
It’s just not a very entertaining fight for anybody whether it is the public or boxing fans.
For the public it will likely be a snorefest and for boxing fans it’s a Mayweather cakewalk.
Cotto vs Pacman is much more interesting. Funny thing is with the failure Mayweather vs Marquez has turned out the only meal ticket Mayweather may have is Pacman. It’s going to be funny seeing Mayweather being put in his place in negotiations if Pacman even bothers to fight such a box office drag.
by MannyPacquiao on Sep 2, 2009 6:11 PM EDT up reply actions
It seems like I am the only one looking forward to this. I don’t want this fight to be derailed. Its the brightest spot for boxing in September.
They’ll find some way to hype this up and keep the fight on…..I hope.
The fight isn’t going to get called off at this point. HBO would shit a brick. But they aren’t going to sell this thing. I also hope they do. It’s not like I want anyone to fail.
Bad Left Hook
"Well Howie, I think I'm going to stay outside and outjab him." -- Tex Cobb telling Howard Cosell how he would approach Larry Holmes
A popular on-line ticketing service is currently selling a ringside seat to Mayweather vs. Marquez for $4,590 each. The exact same seat for Pacquiao vs. Cotto is currently priced at $10,943.
You mean for 1 seat? Somewhat like Trinidad-Jones?
"Penelosa is not human." -Max Kellerman on Gerry Penelosa during the Juan Manuel Lopes-Gerry Penelosa bout.
Funny thing is
Mayweather is quoted as saying that a fight with Mosley wouldn’t make money, while one with Marquez would.
It’s clear that Floyd sees JMM as easy pickings and, that he’s scared of fighting Floyd. Matter of time before Floyd’s 0 goes.
i cant wait to see this fight..!!
for free online :)
this is sad and really bad for boxing
Say what you will about Pretty Boy, the fact that these tickets aren’t selling is really bad news for boxing fans. Mayweather and Golden Boy spent a great deal of money trying to put a very solid undercard. If that doesn’t sell well at the door and/or PPV numbers are low, you can kiss the idea of ever getting a decent undercard goodbye. It might happen again for the Pac-Cotto fight but I doubt it. Basically this will reinforce the idea that undercards don’t sell fights, and don’t sell PPVs. Everyone who wants this to fail is both an idiot and not a boxing fan.
If that doesn’t sell well at the door and/or PPV numbers are low, you can kiss the idea of ever getting a decent undercard goodbye.
I don’t think so. I think Golden Boy knows what they’re dealing with here: Mayweather not being the draw he (and they) thought he was, and the matchup not being enticing. They can spin it however they want, but Oscar and Schaefer aren’t dumb.
Bad Left Hook
"Well Howie, I think I'm going to stay outside and outjab him." -- Tex Cobb telling Howard Cosell how he would approach Larry Holmes
But the whole point of making the good undercard was to make up for that(PBF lacking current popularity) by trying to appeal to more boxing fans by having a decent undercard. If that doesn’t prove to be correct, I can’t see much motivation by the promoters to put on good undercards. Essentially, if it doesn’t have an effect on sales, why spend money to do it. And really, promoters will take any excuse to make money….
I guess I’m thinking of what might be good for business, like conditioning people to expect competitive, exciting undercards, and not bailing on the idea when the first one in forever (in theory) doesn’t make some immediate impact. But then that would be expecting promoters to get out of the stone ages, so you’re probably right.
Bad Left Hook
"Well Howie, I think I'm going to stay outside and outjab him." -- Tex Cobb telling Howard Cosell how he would approach Larry Holmes
I hate to be the pessimist, mostly because its against my own interests, but I think promoters are going to use this fight as precedent to not include a good undercard. Mostly because I, although vaguely, remember the absolute showcase that the Hatton-Pacquaio undercard was, and the fact that I want it to change…. However I am talking people into helping me pay for the fight based on the fact that there is more than one good fight.
Good God. What’s the last PPV you paid for then?
Bad Left Hook
"Well Howie, I think I'm going to stay outside and outjab him." -- Tex Cobb telling Howard Cosell how he would approach Larry Holmes
by Scott Christ on Sep 2, 2009 9:58 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
i am actually the same. last ppv i ordered was tyson v lewis. Manny was on that undercard. Cassamayor was too.
i haven’t bought one since. i go to the bar and pay 5 bucks.
@mikefareri on twitter.
by sonofapsycho on Sep 2, 2009 10:11 PM EDT up reply actions
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