Pay-Per-View Boxing – World Boxing News has been closely following the current coronavirus crisis with the task of keeping fans firmly updated at a high priority.
We firmly need our sport back, and the sooner, the better for everyone. A picture of how we do that is slowly emerging.
As WBN previously explained, the one thing that is for sure is social distancing will remain in place until a vaccine is found.
Therefore, boxing has to adapt to these rules. There certainly won’t be any events with massive crowds anytime soon.
How does boxing return in 2020?
So Anthony Joshua vs. Kubrat Pulev at Tottenham Stadium? – Forget it. Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder at the MGM Grand with a mass of fans? – Forget it.
It simply won’t be able to happen in the USA or Europe without a defense against COVID-19.
What is a high possibility is shows taking place behind closed doors under supervised conditions. Once testing is at total capacity, this is definitely on the cards.
Now, out of respect for those organizers and promoters who will be taking a hit due to no audience capacity, Pay-Per-View is a certainty for all bouts and undercards.
Whether it’s five or ten dollars for a smaller show or fifty to a hundred dollars for the average show, PPV has to be present to get any events making profits.
The bigger shows like Fury vs Wilder III might be able to wait longer for the gate receipts to become a reality. But if the demand is there, fans can quickly expect to and will pay more than a hundred dollars to witness it rather than nothing.
It’s not a robbery. It’s not even a hike. It’s just how it has to be until crowds can again pay for tickets or at the door.
If you asked any fan what they’d be willing to pay to have boxing back on screens, it would be a small price for anybody.
ACROSS THE BOARD PPV
We need sport back! – Paying extra to help all concerned, especially the boxers, to make a living shouldn’t even be a discussion.
This is how we get things going again—Pay-Per-View across the board, with COVID-19 testing going hand-in-hand.
The future depends on it. And once in place, we could see huge shows taking place by June or July – without awaiting government guidelines on social distancing that could take months or even years without a cure.
Follow experienced boxing writer Phil Jay on Twitter @PhilJWBN. Follow WBN: Facebook, Insta, Twitter.
