Showtime and HBO are in a frenzy to secure the pay-per-view rights
Showtime and HBO are in a frenzy to secure the pay-per-view rights to Manny Pacquiao’s next fight.
Top Rank’s CEO, Bob Arum, who promotes Pacquiao, is in the process of receiving very lucrative proposals from both Time Warner/HBO and CBS/Showtime. Pacquiao’s last pay-per-view performance, a twelve round unanimous decision over Shane Mosley in May, generated his highest pay-per-view buyrate figures to date. Pacquiao-Mosley is estimated to have received between 1.3 to 1.4 million pay-per-view purchases.
Additionally, Pacquiao’s last pay-per-view was handled by HBO’s rival, Showtime, who used their parent company CBS to secure a deal with Top Rank. CBS aired promotion spots for the event, and episodes of the Pacquiao/Mosley Fight Camp 360 reality series.
To prevent another Showtime coup, HBO is bringing out the heavy guns by involving their parent company Time Warner.
This time around, Arum believes the proposals will be worth around $15 million – based on early estimations.
Top Rank will receive the proposal from Time Warner/HBO shortly, and Arum expects to have the proposal from CBS/Showtime by next week.
The 79-year old promoter admits to being blown away by the high paced pursuit by both networks to secure the next Pacquiao pay-per-view.
“It’s unprecendented. CBS/Showtime has not been finalized yet, but with HBO/Time Warner coming in, I tell you that they’re making everything that came before look very small”, Arum said.