Mayweather-Marquez Fight Shoots To Change Perception Of Boxing

It is "hard to recall any other time in boxing history where plans to market and deliver the sport were as ambitious as they are in the weeks leading up to" next Saturday's Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Juan Manuel Marquez fight, according to Brett Okamato of the LAS VEGAS SUN. Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer over the last 18 months "has been working on nothing but turning" around the perception that boxing is dead, and he believes that he will have "pointed the entire sport back in the right direction" by the time Mayweather and Marquez enter the ring. Schaefer: "Some people think that the sport is under attack but it really isn't. We are doing what we do best and that is working these events and bringing new sponsors to the table." Okamato reported Schaefer has been "successful in persuading big spenders back to his events, earning financial support" for Mayweather-Marquez from sponsors including Cerveza Tecate, Quaker State, AT&T, Dewalt Tools, Affliction Clothing and Southwest Airlines. It is "typical in boxing that sponsors are linked to specific one-time events," but Schaefer is "hoping that relationships with the biggest companies could lead to signing sponsors to contracts for long-term projects." Schaefer: "It will hopefully lead to sponsorships in the future with companies like McDonald's that we can use to build up young fighters on network television again. It's not just going to happen though, we need to show them the reach the sport has" (LAS VEGAS SUN, 9/10).

BOXING OUT OF THE CORNER: HBO Senior VP/Sports Operations & PPV Mark Taffet said that the network's "Mayweather-Marquez 24/7" show is an "integral part of a $20[M] marketing push" supporting the fight. Taffet added "24/7" is the "single most impactful program of the past 10 years to reach the next generation of boxing fans in the way they want to be reached." In Las Vegas, Jeff Haney reported the marketing campaign also includes "plans to distribute live video from the weigh-in on Sept. 18; an online, 'overtime' version of '24/7' scheduled to be shown live from the press room at the MGM Grand on fight night; and music playlists created by the Mayweather and Marquez camps available on iTunes." Schaefer noted that commercials for the PPV telecast of the fight are "airing on more than 1,500 movie-theater screens." Taffet: "Wherever consumers read, watch, listen, eat, shop, drive, surf, download, tweet or text they will be surrounded by over 700 million impressions about the Mayweather-Marquez fight." Schaefer: "We're increasing the awareness of this fight and really taking the fight to the consumers." Schaefer noted that Mayweather's previous PPV fights have averaged 900,000 buys per fight for a total of about $250M in PPV revenue, and he "expects more of the same" for his fight against Marquez (LAS VEGAS SUN, 9/10).

Schaefer Says Gate For Mayweather-Marquez Fight Already Well Exceeds $6M

BIG FIGHT, BIG NIGHT: Schaefer said the gate in Las Vegas for Mayweather-Marquez is "already well in excess" of $6M and is "shaping up to be one of the biggest non-heavyweight gates in the history of fights" in the city. Taffet added that he expects the fight to "do a million buys or more" on PPV. Schaefer said the Hispanic market is "very important for boxing -- huge following -- and Juan Manuel Marquez is today the best fighter out of Mexico." Taffet: "Floyd's been so busy. He's tapped into those urban markets and really ignited that market as much as Oscar De La Hoya ignited the Latino market for many years. It's taken boxing to a new level, reinvigorated the sport" ("Money for Breakfast," Fox Business, 9/9).

BRONX BOXING? In N.Y., Tim Smith reports Top Rank Chair Bob Arum Thursday "held a press conference along the first base line in front of the Yankees dugout" at Yankee Stadium to announce the November 14 Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Arum announced the fight at Yankee Stadium because he is "hoping to land Cotto or Pacquiao at the Stadium in the future." Arum: "I'd love to be the first one to hold a major boxing show at the new Yankee Stadium." Yankees COO Lonn Trost joined Arum at the announcement (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/11). Trost said that he would be "interested in hosting a mega-fight next year" between the winner of Pacquiao-Cotto and the winner of Mayweather-Marquez (USA TODAY, 9/11). Meanwhile, ESPN.com's Dan Rafael reported HBO will feature the Pacquiao-Cotto fight in a four-episode series of its "24/7" franchise. The series will debut Saturday, October 24, at 10:15pm ET, with the remaining episodes airing October 31, November 7 and November 13 (ESPN.com, 9/10).