By: Sean Crose
Ever since Showtime announced that it was leaving the fight game some weeks back, fans and analysts have been wondering aloud what will become of Premier Boxing Champions. Showtime, after all, was essentially the last outpost of the PBC after other cable outlets had gradually stepped away over time. And while there was little doubt the organization would find itself a home, the fact that it’s now found that home at Amazon Prime is very big news for the fight game. Yes, the PBC announced on Thursday that a deal with Prime had been made.
“Prime Video and Premier Boxing Champions announce new multiyear rights agreement beginning in 2024,” the PBC stated Thursday on social media. “Prime Video is set to become the home of PBC’s Pay-Per-View events, championship bouts, behind the scene docuseries, and more. #PBCONPrime.” Amazon Prime also presented a press release of its own.
“Today,” the outlet proclaimed, “Prime Video and Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) announced a landmark multiyear rights agreement to deliver the boxing industries’ most significant events, providing fans with year-round access to the best matchups featuring the biggest stars in boxing.”
What this means is that, aside from Pay Per View events, fans will be able to see PBC’s fights and fight related programming with a subscription to Amazon Prime. Pay Per View events, naturally, will cost extra. It will indeed be interesting to see how Prime approaches the overused Pay Per View method of programming. Without doubt, the outlet clearly knows how to sell a product, a fact evidenced by it’s successful broadcasting deal with the National Football League (NFL).
There is simply no denying that some of the top fighters on the planet have contracts with PBC, including the sport’s biggest star, Canelo Alvarez. Prime, then, is now very much in the professional boxing business. The first PBC event on Prime will be going down in March.
“We are thrilled to join with Premier Boxing Champions to bring the best boxers in the world to Prime Video, and to give more fans than ever the chance to experience these must-see events,” Variety quotes Amazon’s Marie Donoghue as saying. “With live coverage of PBC action throughout the calendar year, Prime Video continues to bring viewers in the U.S. and around the world the best in sports.”
No matter how many times it’s declared dead, the sport of boxing just seems to find a way to keep moving forward.