Showtime Sports Exec VP & GM Stephen Espinoza said that the network "plans on withholding upcoming PPV numbers to avoid the type of controversy that engulfed Floyd Mayweather’s last bout with Marcos Maidana on May 3," according to Mitch Abramson of BOXING SCENE. Espinoza indicated that the number of PPV buys for Mayweather-Maidana "seemed to overwhelm the actual bout itself." He added that the numbers "will only be released if the event sets a PPV record." Espinoza: "There seems to be an almost obsession with the pay-per-view numbers. And it seems to have gotten to the point where it’s even overshadowing the talk of the event itself. And we just came to the conclusion that we’re not going to feed into it anymore. ... I don't think it's particularly healthy." Abramson noted the crux of the problem comes from reports stating Mayweather-Maidana "did roughly 900,000 buys, an impressive figure by most standards but not Mayweather, who routinely boasts of being able to do a million plus buys." While Espinoza "has disputed that 900,000 figure, he also says that even if Mayweather were to produce that amount, it shouldn’t be viewed as a failure" (BOXINGSCENE.com, 7/16).
