Why don't all the love & support that Manny Pacquiao receives from the fans translate into PPV buys?

Question

Pacquiao's last fight only sold around 300k which is his lowest PPV figure since becoming a star in boxing.

Answer 1

You also have to add the fact that PPV is not popular in the Philippines. Here we usually go to a movie house or a bar to watch him fight. Heck, in some cities, they show the fight for free in a big screen for its citizens.



I should also hasten to add, that for the fight against Algieri, I chose not to watch, even in the cinema, because I didn't expect it to be competitive. And I didn't want to encourage Arum into picking just anybody to fight Pacquiao for the next fight.

Answer 2

It's very ironic that what most fans believed to be the greatest boxing bout ever, the THRILLA in MANILA between Ali and Frazier III was also the lowest grossing PPV in the Ali -Frazier trilogy. Wonder why?.. It's because it's made in the Philippines. Had it been in US, it would be one among the top grossing PPV in boxing. That's why America is Beautiful. Pac did two fights in Macau. Well, what do you expect if it's something made in China??? and there's something as Free TV in RP. You cant buy anything that is free. I grew up watching boxing in RP and i had totally no idea about PPV -until then.



Why don't all the love & support that Manny Pacquiao receives from the fans translate into PPV buys?

Well, here in the Philippines, most aint got no money but we're so proud we got Manny

Answer 3

The last PPV fight I paid for was the one Fan Man got the crap beat out of him when he landed in the middle of a Riddick Bowe/Evander Holyfield fight, the product is crap now days. It's a price issue for some, but with me, there just aren't any fights out there worth the price. Poor to average fighters contesting a fraudulent watered down belt with a dozen or so clones of the "championship" in the hands of others is too much "entertainment" not enough reality to pretend the fights have meaning. Hagler vs Hearns or Duran vs Leonard had meaning, but today, with a few exceptions, the fights themselves are meaningless.



I love Manny, he's a great fighter and a huge success outside the ring, but with all due respect the Philippines by Western standards is a poor nation, and it would be the equivalent of expecting Panama to boost Duran's PPV numbers, the market base of customers able to pay 50 plus American dollars for a fight simply isn't there, the poverty levels outside the US and Europe make it impractical at best if not impossible for the numbers to compete. I think Manny does better in America than 99% of the American fighters that are out there. There simply aren't many credible PPV worthy draws out there in today's boxing.

Answer 4

Right? Pacquiao/Rios only did about 450,000ish also. Then again, having a guy like Mayweather around has skewed peoples' ideas of what a successful PPV is. Anybody's PPV sales are gonna seem small next to Floyd's. Pac is still making good money doing what he's doing.

Answer 5

Because people don't have money to spend on 80 dollar PPVs any more. Mayweather's last one only did about 650000 I think, despite what official sources have been lying about. Pacquiao did well PPV-wise against a great opponent in Bradley. There needs to be a solid match up for a lot of people to buy it.

Answer 6

It boils down to economics, demographics and geography. Most of Pacquiao loving fans are in his native Philippines who have access to his fights without paying a single centavo on PPV. Local politicians have made it a practice to earn so-called "pogi" points among the generally poor masses by showing his fights live for free in various local covered courts in Metro Manila and the provinces. Some of Pacquiao's fans are Filipinos or Filipino-Americans living or working in the various parts of the USA but they constitute a small percentage of USA PPV market. American fans of admirers of Pacquiao will only pay for PPV if there are marquee American boxers in his card either as his opponent/s or in main supporting bouts. Bob Arum's decision to hold a few of his major fights outside of the USA also affect his PPV numbers. Note that his Macau bouts have been attended by predominantly Filipino and Chinese fans. China is a huge market for pro boxing but I don't think average Chinese fans would shell out $69 to see his fights on PPV especially if his fights are held outside of China.



The cost of PPV is another factor which constrained his most avid Filipino fans in the Philippines and abroad.



BTW, 300K for a fight held outside of the USA is not that bad.

Answer 7

How many PPV's can you get? Just curious. I don't even know if Mayweather's PPV buys are even true or not, same goes with how much he claims he makes. Maybe he buys a grip of his own PPV just to have bragging rights. I heard the money he flashes or threw around at ppl at parties were fake money.You go out and ask the average person walkin around if they know Floyd Mayweather and Mike Tyson, i guarantee you many will only know Mike Tyson. Mayweather is not even a household name like Tyson, Ali, or Micheal Jordan...Kobe...James...Durant...Wade...etc...etc...

Answer 8

300k is still a lot of ppv.

He sold more when he was knocking everyone out but he still made MILLIONS

Answer 9

are you dumb.... who would buy algieri?

and why would pac at this point of his career let himself get beat up against tough opponents before fighting floyd? he's done that bein leanient w/ jmm... but what did he get, a freak created by a notorius ped scientist... he got picky now targeting slick boxers who got pillow punches like floyd, he got to prepare for floydee specially now that floyd is running out of excuses.....lol

Answer 10

Arum was smart to put that fight in China with no taxes on it on the money whatsoever.

Answer 11

No enough money I guess. Love and support doesn't mean you have to sacrifice your priorities.

Answer 12

Internet stream and a sh1tty opponent = "I'm not paying for that"

Answer 13

Most including me refuse to pay $70.00 to see the fight.