The Big Question: Did Triller miss the mark with the Jake Paul vs Ben Askren PPV?

Last week’s Big Question was about the Saturday night we had coming in boxing, whether you’d watch Jake Paul vs Ben Askren, PBC’s show on FOX, or Neither.

36 percent said neither. 35 percent said Paul-Askren, and 29 percent went with Tony Harrison-Bryant Perrella. This is a bubble of, let’s be honest, mostly diehard boxing fans and boxing nerds. The proof? For all the hemming and hawing about Paul-Askren being some great farce and stain, the PPV was a smash hit. Online interest was through the roof. It created incredible buzz everywhere.

That’s not to say something being popular means it’s artistically good, and that’s what I kind of want to get into for this week’s question.

Last November was Triller’s first boxing PPV effort, which featured Mike Tyson’s exhibition with Roy Jones Jr and Jake Paul fighting former NBA player Nate Robinson. Personally, I thought that show was pretty fun for what it was. It was a different vibe, different atmosphere. Laid back, fun. Snoop Dogg was funny on commentary for the main event.

The show was such a hit that Triller dug in deeper and decided to stay in the boxing game — sort of. They’re not really in the boxing game we’ve come to know and “love,” but often hate, for some very good reasons. (Patrick discussed some of them.)

They’re shooting for something different. It sounds corny and in some ways is, but they want a full entertainment experience. The Tyson-Jones show featured a nice mix of boxing stuff and musical performances.

The Paul-Askren show was another story. There was some boxing. There was a lot of music. There were a lot of, in my opinion, really awful comedy sketches. Celebrities all over, mostly zonked out of their minds.

I do get what they want to do. I understand having an adult, wild, party-style atmosphere. Some people liked it. Personally — and this is my opinion and I don’t want to sway anyone — I thought they came off a little tryhard a little too often. And I thought some of the stuff was frankly embarrassing.

I suspect their June 5 show featuring Teofimo Lopez vs George Kambosos Jr may be a different tone, perhaps closer to the Tyson show and not so much of a whacked out parade of insanity like Paul-Askren. Maybe if you have a Teofimo Lopez, you lean a bit more — if certainly not fully — toward the sports side. A little less craziness, a little more grounded. But maybe not!

What did you think? Did Triller overshoot a bit on Saturday and push too far into zaniness, or were you all-in on the crazy vibe? Again, you definitely don’t have to agree with me, I have my opinion but I’m genuinely interested in what more people thought, even if we’re still in the same little bubble.