Showtime VP Stephen Espinoza believes Mayweather vs McGregor is on course to better the previous Pay-Per-View record set on May 2, 2015.
Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather’s victory over Manny Pacquiao drew in 4.4m buys when disappointing fans two years ago. The return of ‘Money’ was far more exciting.
In ten rounds, the 40-year-old former pound-for-pound king stopped UFC champion Conor McGregor.
He proved boxing is a cut above MMA’s top company and takes far more skill and guile to conquer.
Mayweather vs McGregor interest
Interest in the clash was at a premium, and projected sales are expected to close or exceed the five million mark once the numbers are crunched.
Espinoza, labeled ‘a weasel’ by McGregor in the build-up, was pleased with the initial outcome despite complaints over the live feed.
“It was a massive event we had to put together very, very quickly,” Espinoza told AP. “Working with all the partners on the event, we could pull off a nearly flawless event.
“The fight itself turned out to be very entertaining. So all in all, from a financial standpoint and an entertainment standpoint, it was absolutely a success.”
On several scaremongering stories regarding possible legal action from disgruntled fans, Espinoza added: “The reports that came out earlier this week on issues on the Showtime digital stream were definitely exaggerated.
“We received a limited number of complaints. But nothing commensurate with the level of press coverage it generated.
“Our app worked well in the face of unprecedented demand.”
Whether ‘MayMac’ would smash the Mayweather vs Pacquiao record out of the ballpark, a cautious Espinoza wouldn’t be hasty in his prediction.
“It’s a little soon to be predicting a record. But the record is definitely within reach.
“I’d absolutely call this a complete success. This fight had massive expectations in the fight itself and the business results.
“It lived up to those expectations in every respect.”
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