RiverDog
Well-known member
I wasn't a huge boxing fan, but I did tune in on the heavyweight championship fights. It was a big deal when Muhammad Ali fought. He was a polarizing figure that drew huge TV audiences.I used to be an avid boxing fan. I no longer watch it at all. I hope the NFL doesn’t go that direction, but it’s always possible.
One thing that contributed to boxing's demise was that they went to what was called back then closed-circuit television, ie pay-per-view. Pardon the term, but boxing overreached, misread their market by thinking that they could benefit by making a few extra bucks by charging to watch their major events, ie killing the goose that laid the golden egg. Like football is now, the sport was in decline and although people like me would tune in if it were free, we weren't avid enough fans to pay even a nominal fee to watch it. They also made this decision at a time when the US economy was going into recession during the post-Vietnam/post Space Race era of the mid to late 70's.
I'm not sure if any of what boxing went through 50 years ago is analogues to the situation with the NFL today, but it is worth remembering.