The Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao fight ranks as the highest-grossing PPV of all time, according to figures released yesterday by organizers of the May 2 bout. Initial reports indicate the event generated more than 4.4 million U.S. buys and more than $400M in PPV revenue. The event is expected to generate in excess of $500M in gross worldwide receipts. The fight nearly doubled the previous record of 2.48 million buys for Mayweather-Oscar De La Hoya in '07 and nearly tripled the record $150M in U.S. PPV generated by Mayweather-Canelo Alvarez in '13 (THE DAILY). Showtime Sports Exec VP & GM Stephen Espinoza said, "We never had anything to compare it to as we were going through fight week. The prefight numbers were so high they were off the charts. Whether it was going to be 3 million, 3.5 or 4.4 was not something we had a good sense about until Saturday night or Sunday morning.” HBO Senior VP/Sports Operations & PPV Mark Taffet added, "We never even contemplated a number as high as 4.4 million. Never did we contemplate anything over three million.” In N.Y., Richard Sandomir notes cable companies and satellite providers "will receive" 30-40% of gross PPV revenue, and a "smaller cut" (7.5%, divided evenly) will go to HBO and Showtime, which co-produced the event. The rest "goes to the fighters." With the PPV revenue alone, that "will ensure that Mayweather and Pacquiao each make" more than $100M for the fight (N.Y. TIMES, 5/13).
TICKET REVENUE BIG, TOO: ESPN.com's Dan Rafael noted the Nevada State Athletic Commission yesterday announced that the fight "generated $72,198,500 from the sale of 16,219 tickets" at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The event "easily will soar past" the $500M mark in total revenue, making it "by far the richest fight in boxing history." Additional fight revenue included a record of approximately $40M from "international television rights from 175 countries," as well as a record $13.2M from sponsorships, including a record $5.6M "paid by Tecate as the title beer sponsor." Also, nearly $19M in "national closed circuit revenue from tickets sold at more than 5,000 bars, restaurants and commercial establishments." Another $6.9M in closed circuit revenue was generated from a "record 46,000 tickets sold (at $150 apiece) at MGM Resorts International properties in Las Vegas." Merchandise sales also approached "several million dollars" (ESPN.com, 5/12).
