Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s fight against Andre Berto was every bit the flop we all thought it would be, and apparently the numbers prove it.
ESPN boxing reporter Dan Rafael reports that the fight, which Mayweather won by unanimous decision, might not have topped 550,000 pay-per-view buys.
PPV industry source on #MayweatherBerto numbers tells me they're very poor relatively speaking. 'Being generous is might hit 550,000 buys.'
— Dan Rafael (@danrafaelespn) September 16, 2015
The fight cost $75 to buy in HD and $65 for standard definition. Even if the fight did 550,000 buys all in high definition, that would amount to just over $41 million in revenue. Mayweather was paid the minimum called for by his contract — $32 million — while Berto was paid $4 million. That only leaves a difference of $5 million or so.
Between advertising and other promotional fees, it’s not inconceivable to think that Showtime lost money on the fight, which was Mayweather’s last of six contracted bouts with the network. Also consider that Mayweather didn’t even sell out tickets at the MGM for the fight. Fans were so disinterested that high rollers turned down free tickets, while closed circuit viewing parties were cancelled.
It’s a good thing Mayweather says he is retiring, because it looks like fans have tired of his act.
Photo: Esther Lin/Showtime
