Showtime and fight promotion company Top Rank are “taking an unprecedented digital media approach to the marketing and distribution” of Saturday’s Manny Pacquiao-Shane Mosley PPV, according to Thomas Umstead of MULTICHANNEL NEWS. PPV distributor In Demand reported that cable operators for the first time “will be able to offer a 1-day video on demand replay of the fight beginning Sunday at the same $54.95 suggested retail price of the live event.” Traditionally, the “only opportunity to see a replay of a marquee PPV fight was to wait a week for the telecast to air on pay TV services HBO or Showtime.” Cable operators for the first time "will be able to offer via VOD 11 classic fights featuring the two main event combatants.” The fight also will be the “first major PPV boxing event to be streamed live online.” Top Rank is “hoping that the multi-feed online offering” will “attract young sports fans that do much of their TV viewing from laptops” (MULTICHANNEL.com, 5/4). Umstead notes Showtime will also “implement a heavy radio push on all the CBS Radio-owned news, sports and music stations.” Showtime Sports Exec VP & GM Ken Hershman said that CBSSports.com will treat the fight as a “tier-one event,” with “heavy online promotion” this week. Showtime in coordination with CBS, the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas (the fight venue) and Top Rank will also “promote heavily on social media outlets” like Facebook and Twitter in “an effort to appeal to younger audiences” (MULTICHANNEL NEWS, 5/2 issue).
SATURDAY SHOW STOPPER: SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL’s Bill King writes there is “no debate over the unprecedented quantity of promotion that CBS has delivered” toward Pacquiao-Mosley. CBS aired the first episode of “Fight Camp 360,” which chronicles the lead-up to the fight, during the afternoon of the Final Four on April 2, while a second episode aired last Saturday in primetime. The final installment is scheduled for this Saturday afternoon prior to the fight. CBS Primetime Senior Exec VP Kelly Kahl said, “That’s really a lot of prime real estate, beachfront real estate. Now we have to translate this enormous reach into buys. Step one is letting them know the fight is there. Step two is getting them to click the button. Time will tell, but we’re certainly hopeful” (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 5/2 issue).
