REMARKABLE TV RATINGS FOR ‘MOMENT OF TRUTH’
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 14 Mar 2007
The superbly staged boxing extravaganza “Moment of Truth” held last Feb. 24 at the Cebu City Sports Complex which was put together by respected boxing patron Tony Aldeguer, his son Michael and promoter Sammy Gello-ani and telecast by the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN produced remarkable ratings beating arch rival GMA 7 in the process.
The WBO super flyweight title fight in which Z “The Dream” Gorres was clearly robbed of a decision over champion Fernando Montiel of Mexico rated 31.40 percent with an audience share of 62.0 percent while the battle between emerging ring sensation Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista and Marino Montiel Gonzalez rated 23.80 percent but delivered a huge audience share of 77.40 percent.
Jimrex Jaca’s clash with Indonesia’s Simson Butar Butar rated 28.60 percent with an audience share of 45.10 percent while the encounter between Bert Batawang and Indonesia’s Sofyan Efendi rated 26.70 percent with a 65.60 audience share.
Overall the ABS- CBN telecast of “The Moment of Truth” had a 28.10 percent average and a very high 58.10 audience share and proved that promising young fighters from the famed ALA Gym as well as other future championship prospects can draw big audiences on primetime television.
The success of “The Moment of Truth” which drew over 20,000 paying fight fans to the Cebu City Sports Complex proved the popularity of boxing and its mass appeal when the fights are good. It also proved that sports such as boxing can out-rate the usual fare of entertainment programs on primetime television if produced with style and it is expected to open the eyes of potential advertisers to the value of sponsoring sports programs.
Last year’s World Pool Championship which was telecast around the world drew what Kerry Davis of ESPN said were phenomenal numbers and indications are that this year’s event which will once again be held in Manila from November 3-11 hosted by Raya Sports headed by well-known journalist and presidential speechwriter Yen Makabenta who is also chairman of the Billiards & Snooker Congress of the Philippines will turn in unprecedented ratings.
ABS-CBN said the “Moment of Truth” fight card “surprisingly exceeded everyone’s expectations” in terms of ratings and claimed the network proved that “even for a non Manny Pacquiao fight, its boxing events can still dominate primetime ratings.”
Probably realizing the potential of boxing and the tremendous drawing power of Pacquiao, Solar Sports reportedly paid Pacquiao some P40 million for the free TV rights of his April 14 bout against undefeated but unknown Mexixan Jorge Solis which is set to be telecast on GMA 7 with a replay on RPN 9.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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