SUPER 8 - March 28 2015, Christchurch

[VADR]

A couple of entertainment fights amongst a solid card is a formula that resonates with a wider audience.
We have already connected with the sports market and casual fan.

If you want the sport to grow and compete for headlines in the front page not the sport section you have to appeal to that wider audience.
The participants of these bouts still train and get in the ring in front of a national audience, an audience they bring - something the should be given credit for. I see no complaints when there are pre-games before other sporting codes for charity its taken for what it is, a bit of fun for a good cause.
We still have more fights and fighters then any other promotion.

Comments about doing more harm than good are misplaced. When you have people like Sean Plunket talking on the radio for two day straight as whether he should fight, you are connecting with a main stream audience. Unfortunately, announcing a fight like papanui vs nik will not get anywhere near that coverage, even berridge vs papanui. The flow on effect to the super 8 is that more people will tune in and get to see well matched, exciting fights.

We still are staying true to our motto - every fight matters.

Last week we cut a talented fighter from the card because they wanted an easy fight, a win.

I respect that you want to see more pro fights, so do we.

I'd rather lose the opportunity to work with a fighter than compromise on our core product.

Pay-per-view is not the forum for padding your record.

[diehard]

You tell 'em VADR. Don't let us punters sidetrack you. Or keep you from posting. Every one has an opinion on this site, including you. I appreciate your promoting fights in NZ. I have no problem personally with "entertaining" fights peppered in there with "real" fights. You need to do what bring in money so that you can continue to promote. I have no problem with Cameron Slater's back on the canvas. When it becomes a series of circus acts, it becomes a problem. So far, I don't think you've crossed the line.

What's missing, IMHO is no headliner to go with the Super 8. Such as what you had with Meehan vs Cameron.

[tm7]

(01-29-2015, 10:35 AM)VADR Wrote: Pay-per-view is not the forum for padding your record.

Couldn't agree more!

[mippy]

Someone should tell Duco

[craigyid14]

(01-29-2015, 10:35 AM)VADR Wrote: A couple of entertainment fights amongst a solid card is a formula that resonates with a wider audience.
We have already connected with the sports market and casual fan.

If you want the sport to grow and compete for headlines in the front page not the sport section you have to appeal to that wider audience.
The participants of these bouts still train and get in the ring in front of a national audience, an audience they bring - something the should be given credit for. I see no complaints when there are pre-games before other sporting codes for charity its taken for what it is, a bit of fun for a good cause.
We still have more fights and fighters then any other promotion.

Comments about doing more harm than good are misplaced. When you have people like Sean Plunket talking on the radio for two day straight as whether he should fight, you are connecting with a main stream audience.  Unfortunately, announcing a fight like papanui vs nik will not get anywhere near that coverage, even berridge vs papanui. The flow on effect to the super 8 is that more people will tune in and get to see well matched, exciting fights.

We still are staying true to our motto - every fight matters.

Last week we cut a talented fighter from the card because they wanted an easy fight, a win.

I respect that you want to see more pro fights, so do we.

I'd rather lose the opportunity to work with a fighter than compromise on our core product.

Pay-per-view is not the forum for padding your record.

You put across a very compelling argument, however it will never get me enthused for 'celebrity boxing'. It doesn't even feel right calling it boxing. I guess its here to stay however bad its making real boxing look. If this show was in Auckland I would have gone, as I did the previous 2 but having given up smoking I'm not sure what I would have done for the Fatboy fight, maybe a crossword or word search. I see Warren Fuiava had his first fight back in over 3 years in Samoa before Christmas, papanui versus fuiava would be a cracker.

[diehard]

Craig, I hear what you're saying.  I think promoters like Duco and VADR are saying that the entertainment fights gets the punters involved to support us purists.  True?  That it's harder to make a profit if it's only boxers and not "celebrities."

[craigyid14]

No not true, they don't stay boxing fans. They just wanna see d list celebs have a slapping match. They have no interest in real boxing. The super 8 comp is a happy medium, 3 rounds and quick turn around of fights to keep the casual fan interested but you have to have 4/6/8/10/12 round pro fights on the bill to keep the purest happy.

[diehard]

No, what I'm saying is that the punters will turn out to watch the celebs, which allows the purists like ourselves to watch good boxing. They don't stay boxing fans, at least not most of them. They go back home and wait for the next celeb entertainment on their social calendar. But without the celebs, promoters struggle, and Duco and VADR wouldn't put on the fights that they are now. Celebs=punters=money. It allows us to get top notch boxers fighting one another. As I've said, I don't mind watching one or two circus acts, but don't cross the line.

[craigyid14]

Well I can't argue that they haven't put on some of best pro cards ever staged in NZ.

[craigyid14]

I'm actually intrigued for the SBW/Welliver fight which in itself is basically a circus act (with the exception that they can both actually box).