Early estimates of the Gennady Golovkin-David Lemieux PPV this past Saturday drew approximately 150,000 buys. Sports Illustrated boxing writer Chris Mannix stated that the 150,000 estimated was “in the ballpark” of the estimated buys.
Fight Hype (@fighthype) reports #GolovkinLemieux generated 150K buys. I'm told final numbers aren't in, but that's in the ballpark.
— Chris Mannix (@ChrisMannixSI) October 20, 2015
That's a good number. Not the spectacular number promoters were looking for (200K-plus), but a good one for GGG's pay per view debut.
— Chris Mannix (@ChrisMannixSI) October 20, 2015
Pay per view is a rapidly declining market. Mayweather just did around 400K. Cotto-Martinez was around 250K. 150K is a solid debut.
— Chris Mannix (@ChrisMannixSI) October 20, 2015
Despite the fact that the fight sold out Madison Square Garden with 20,568 in attendance, the fight did not sell as promoters had hoped. GGG’s promoter indicated that 200,000 buys would make it a financial success. It appeared that promoters had modest expectations for GGG’s debut as the top of the card on a PPV.
In comparison, Canelo Alvarez’s first time headlining a PPV against Alfredo Angulo in March 2014 drew 350,000 PPV buys. A PPV featuring Timothy Bradley against Juan Manuel Marquez drew 375,000 PPV buys in October 2013. Last June, a clash between Miguel Cotto and Sergio Martinez drew 250,000 PPV buys.
Fighthype.com initially reported the 150,000 PPV buy rate.
Payout Perspective:
Was this a success or disappointment? GGG is the next logical fighter to step in to the PPV shoes for Manny Pacquiao as his popularity begins to wane. Roman Gonzalez, who many believe is one of the best (if not the best) pound for pound fighters was the co-main on the card. Thus, two of the top stars in boxing were featured on a PPV but just 150K purchased it. We’ll see how the replay viewership does this Saturday as perhaps we’re seeing boxing skeptics concerned about overpaying “once again” for a boxing PPV. In my opinion, the 150,000 is a little low, but once more fans get exposed to GGG (and Chocolatito), we’ll see more casual boxing fans gravitating toward them and eventually the PPV numbers may increase.
I don’t think Chocolatito can be considered a star. He’s #1 pound for pound, but few people have actually seen him. He reminds me a little of Formiga back when he was fighting for Tachi Palace Fights – considered by insiders to be one of the best in the world, but no one was watching.
Chocolatito needs much more exposure with casual fans before he can become a star and this PPV didn’t provide much of it. Unless I’m mistaken, he hasn’t even headlined a major non-PPV card. I would start there before putting him into a co-main event slot on a PPV.
GGG on the other hand, is one of the top stars in boxing. Sadly he’s short on PPV drawing power.
I agree with you that 150k is a little low. If 200k is financially successful, then anything below that is a disappointment. Had Golden Boy known this would only sell 150k PPVs, they would have put it on HBO and benefited from the broader exposure.
This is a fail. There’s no way around it. The question is how does Golden Boy grow PPVs for two of the best boxers in the world going forward.
the promoter should spend more money hyping golovkin as with the fight golovkin can deliver(excitement)…hbo spent most for the promotion…golovkin is under k2 promotion which is a small promotion compared to top rank,haymon or golden boy…after this fight im sure ppv will go up..from the word of mouth of those who watched it….
Did a little research and this number isnt so bad and can go up with a name opponent….checked out pacmans ppv history since both are not from the u.s. both are exciting fighters etc….turns out after beating legends barrera and morales he still got low ppv…after getting 345 K ppv vs morales pacman got 150k and 120k from fighting larios and jorge solis….so thats his stand alone ppv at that time
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/where-manny-pacquiao-ranks-among-the-biggest-ppv-boxing-draws-of-all-time-100354711-boxing.html
I’m curious to know how many PPV buys came from Quebec. Lemieux is VERY well known here, not a star like Stevenson, but we’ve been following his career since he was a teenager and the fight was talked about on the front page of every media in Montreal.
I would say at LEAST half on the PPV sold were from here, that put’s GGG’s star power in a low light in my opinion.
When Mighty Mouse does 150k mma fans/media call for him to never headline another show, its a flop, UFC is dying and the div should be removed from the UFC.
when boxings next big superstar does 150k media/fans act like its not bad.
I’m a huge GGG fan but thats a flop, sorry but it is, this is big drama show, next big star in boxing, the guy everyone loves and he’s pulling in numbers like this?
Also you had P4P number 1 ranked fighter in co main event.
GGG should be an HBO fighter unless he fights Canelo, thats the only big fight that will sell.
Considering that pacman has a solid filipino base in the u.s. And how many people from kazakstan live in the u.s….. so most ppv buyers are american for golovkin…they say mayweather and dlhya first ppv are in the 300k and they represented the u.s. in the olympics…
Chris,
How many buys do you think mighty mouse would get if he was not in the UFC or any mma league?
I’m not saying that GGG can’t become a PPV star – I’m saying this show flopped and GGG’s promoters need to figure out how to grow those numbers.
Also, I thought Golden Boy was promoting this fight. Am I wrong about that?
Mayweather Berto did 550k.
Cotto Martinez did 300k-315k
GGG will probably end up at 200k.
@Chris, UFC is a league, GGG is a fighter.
People complain about Demetrious because hes not a ppv draw at all. Why have him constantly on there. He will never be a draw. This is GGGs first one and if he fights Canelo its obviously going to sell. Boxers sell there own fights. UFC sells it self. Different game.
Wow, this was a major dissapointment. The promoters thought this one would do at least 300k, and we heard possibly 500k by some estimates. These are Demetrious Johnson numbers.
Gil-
I guess that just shows the power of a ufc ppv then, right?
New report says it actually only did 97k.
The Greatest, DJ is usually a co-headliner or not on the card at all and gets called up to main event when someone drops out injured.
DC-Gustafsson, Dillashaw-Barao 2 and Jones-DC were meant to headline the cards Demetrious Johnson just stepped up and took the main event spot.
Horrible number
New number. GGG did 97K. The fact is that non-boxing fans have no clue who he is. He is not a star.
boxing right now really does not have any draws manny and floyd have been the only two guys that could sell a ppv for the past 10 years
ive said many of times once they retire there is no one in boxing that can draw.
even my brother who doesnt watch ufc and is into boxing said the same thing
mayweather vs pacquiaour killed boxing it was so bad.
ufc is and will remain the kings of ppv from now on. unless a phenom like mike tyson comes along . that is
boxing right now really does not have any draws manny and floyd have been the only two guys that could sell a ppv for the past 10 years
ive said many of times once they retire there is no one in boxing that can draw.
even my brother who doesnt watch ufc and is into boxing said the same thing
mayweather vs pacquiaour killed boxing it was so bad.
ufc is and will remain the kings of ppv from now on. unless a phenom like mike tyson comes along . that is