http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat...ith-dan-rafael

Edwin (LA, California)


Do your sources still say the Mayweather PPV got under a million buys even with the updated data?


Dan Rafael
(12:21 PM)


Absolutely yes. I am not going to get into a pissing contest with Showtime but I have good industry sources who swear on their children that this fight will not reach 1 million buys, much less be "in excess" of 1 million and I believe them. These are people with no dog in the fight who I respect and have known for many years and trust. I am told that the number right now is about 870,000 buys. It would take some major anomaly for it to gain another 110,000 plus to go over 1 million. People can believe it or not. I don't really care. If it does 870 or 1M it's not like I make an extra dime. So that's where I stand.

showtime has a history of fudging numbers (ie:manny vs. mosley)
the directtv/dish numbers vastly underperformed. showtime ceo confirmed it after that was leaked
rafael sources are probably the other distributors (comcast,turner, etc)
870K or 1mil (showtime claims) it was a flop as far as showtime recouping money is concerned
distributors get half from the gate, MGM/GBP/mayweather takes the arena gate, mayweather took 32 guaranteed plus ppv cut
and that's not even including the money showtime had to pay GBP for mares and the other undercard fighters
they going force floyd to fight canelo. they can't afford for him not to

I'm not shocked those numbers were horrible


Hope the #s were bad so we won't have to watch another one of these.