Int'l Amateur Boxing Association In Talks With Agencies Over $1.6M Global PR Brief

The Int'l Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) "is in talks with agencies over a global PR brief" estimated to be worth nearly £1M ($1.6M) as it seeks to arrest the decline of the sport and become its "unifying force," according to John Owens of PR WEEK. AIBA "is historically responsible for overseeing amateur boxing but is attempting to expand into the professional arena." The PR brief, estimated by sources to be potentially worth around £900,000 ($1.5M), involves raising awareness of AIBA and its competitions amid what the tender document claims is "strong opposition from pro-boxing sanctioning bodies." The tender document claims that professional boxers have "little control over their destiny" and are left "heavily dependent on promoters." Agencies have been shortlisted for the work, which involves targeting key markets including the U.K., Mexico, the U.S. and Germany "and appealing to both boxing and combat sports fans as well as fans of sports more widely, with women a particular target" (PR WEEK, 3/31).