TCI, Inc. and Request TV have reportedly reached agreement
to carry Showtime Sports and Events' next four Mike Tyson PPV
fights, according to CABLE WORLD. While neither Request nor TCI
had officially signed a deal, industry sources said the news
"pointed up Showtime's eagerness to build some momentum behind
its push to create new 'flat fee' terms for PPV boxing industry
deals." Showtime has threatened to take its November 9 Tyson-
Holyfield fight to closed circuit TV "in markets where cable
operators refused to pay a flat fee of $27.50 for each of the
bout's PPV buys." Retail price for Tyson-Holyfield is expected
to be $45-50. In the past, cable operators have received a 50%
split of PPV boxing events gross revenues. Donovan Gordon, VP
Sales/Affiliate Marketing at Showtime Sports, said the company is
negotiating with Viewer's Choice, whose owners include Time
Warner and Continental Cablevision. Showtime has a deal with
USSB and "is close" to reaching a deal with Cablevision Systems
(Kim Mitchell, CABLE WORLD, 9/23 issue).
