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For many years, boxing has faced significant obstacles in getting the most anticipated fights signed due to the rival promoters and fighters aligning themselves with different broadcasters. It took a long time for Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao to finally face each other in the ring, and by the time they did, both fighters were past their prime. This issue often arises because competing broadcasters struggle to reach an agreement to jointly broadcast a major fight, resulting in it not materializing. However, the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight managed to happen primarily because HBO and Showtime eventually reached a compromise to share the rights for the pay-per-view broadcast. This trend of collaboration between broadcasters is becoming increasingly common in recent years.
A report in The Times, though, suggests a more surprising development in the broadcast wars: the defection of a promoter from their current broadcast partner to that of their closest promotional rival. According to the report, Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions is in talks with streaming service DAZN over the sale of international rights to its events. DAZN, of course, is aligned with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, who signed a five-year broadcast deal with the service in 2021.
When The Times approached DAZN and Queensberry for comment, both entities remained silent on the matter. The talks mentioned are said to be centered around specific international regions. This implies that the United States may not be included in those regions, as Warren and Queensberry have established a working relationship with ESPN and Top Rank in America over the past few years.
Although it may not appear significant initially, the sale of international rights of Queensberry events to DAZN carries significant implications. The Times highlights that if Queensberry and DAZN reach an agreement, it could potentially lead to negotiations for Warren’s UK shows. Warren’s current exclusive UK broadcast deal with TNT Sports, previously BT Sport, is scheduled to conclude next year. The Times suggests that DAZN is highly likely to pursue those rights once they become accessible.
While the report lacks concrete evidence, it is not entirely implausible to consider that Warren and Hearn, who had never previously met in person, are now working together on shows in Saudi Arabia. Recent news about the ‘Matchroom vs Queensberry’ card scheduled to occur later this year further supports this notion.
Queensberry may seize the opportunity to secure a deal with DAZN for both their international and UK broadcast rights in the future. Such a partnership would unite two of the most prominent promoters in boxing, an unprecedented occurrence in the sport.
The prospect of removing broadcast conflicts between Queensberry and Matchroom fighters is undeniably thrilling. Throughout the years, numerous potentially outstanding fights have failed to materialize due to this hurdle. However, if this barrier were eliminated, we could anticipate some truly remarkable nights ahead, including the highly anticipated megafight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
Before the fight can be made, several important events must occur, such as Fury defeating Oleksandr Usyk in May and potentially having a rematch. However, if Warren and Hearn both establish a partnership with DAZN, it would greatly contribute to the likelihood of this fight happening.
Furthermore, increased consolidation in the sport, known for its fragmented systems, can have its advantages. Not only does it facilitate the organization of more high-profile fights, but it also benefits consumers who would no longer need multiple subscriptions to various broadcast services if events were centralized. However, it is important to strike a balance in consolidation to prevent the elimination of competition in the broadcast market. Excessive consolidation could potentially reduce the motivation to stage the best fights possible. Nonetheless, boxing broadcasters do not solely compete with each other; they also compete with other sports broadcasters. Even if a service like DAZN were to monopolize the boxing market, it would still have to offer enough value to retain customers and compete for attention and viewership against other sports.
What is the current state of the boxing broadcast industry in the UK? Sky Sports is currently partnered with Boxxer, but this agreement is expected to expire in 2025. Both Sky and TNT might be looking for new broadcast deals, which could have a significant impact on the industry. Additionally, there is a chance that one or both networks may see boxing as more trouble than it’s worth and decide to withdraw from the sport, similar to what HBO and Showtime have done in the US.
Losing Sky and TNT would be a significant setback as they have consistently demonstrated their dedication to the sport and delivered some unforgettable boxing events. It’s safe to say that almost everyone, except maybe the executives at DAZN, would prefer to avoid such a scenario.
Is it possible that there might be a future partnership with promotion GBM Sports? The emerging organization has just revealed the appointment of Adam Smith, previously the Head of Boxing at Sky, as their new Director of Broadcasting. This role marks his return to commentating after a hiatus due to his fight against cancer.
Having Smith back in action is absolutely amazing. He is deeply passionate about boxing and is undeniably one of the top commentators globally. His new position at GBM is quite intriguing. Currently, the company has a live broadcast agreement with talkSPORT. However, with Smith on board, there is potential for a television broadcast partnership with a major player if the opportunity presents itself.
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