FORCED DEPARTURE BY VIACOM STUNS SOME!
New York, NY-One of the biggest stories of the boxing year, inside or outside the ring, came down Tuesday with the revelation that Showtime boxing kingpin Jay Larkin had been shown the door by the network as part of a restructuring by Showtime parent Viacom. While the boxing world has been preoccupied by the retirement of WBC heavyweight titlist Vitali Klitschko, the Showtime shake-up is leaves just as much confusion in its wake.
JUDGING LARKIN ON TOTALITY, OR RECENTLY?, The difficulty in discussing Larkins exit is deciding whether to judge him by 19 years, the length of his tenure as head of boxing programming at Showtime, or by the 19 months or so that preceded his demise. For most of his reign, Showtimes boxing underwhelmed the public. Ever present was an infatuation with British fighters, right up to the inexplicable Sho Box broadcast in September of this year featuring Ossie Duran and Colin McNeil fighting for a Commonwealth light middleweight title. Not only was it possibly the worst televised card of the year, but just one week prior, on American soil, lightweights Lavka Sim and Ebo Elder had slugged it out in a title eliminator that cried out for TV but went unseen.
IN TYSON DEAL, SHOWTIME LOST BIG BUCKS!
While many great fights and champions appeared on their airwaves over the years, the majority of the networks offerings failed to reach must-see status even for fight fans. Showtime boxing is probably most known as the television home of Mike Tysons eventful and ugly decline, a relationship that reportedly left Tyson owing the network $8-12 million dollars at one point.
LARKIN WENT OUT ON A GOOD RUN!
But in a culture that asks only what have you done for me lately? the deposed Showtime exec can point to some real positives in the sport. Most notably, Larkin took Showtime boxing in a different direction than competitor HBO, with a great fights, no rights philosophy in which the network bought particular fights, but didnt sign fighters to multi-fight contracts. Those kind of long-term deals have ground HBOs boxing down to a series of mismatches and tune-ups in support of PPV, and Larkins new policy helped Showtime gain momentum in 2004 and 2005. For the first time in recent memory, boxing fans almost unanimously recognized Showtime for having a superior fight year than HBO in 2005.
PROFESSIONAL OBITUARY INSULTING TO ME!
Many in the sport will maintain dry eyes at the news of Larkins execution. Most of the Larkin career obituaries rightly call him one of the most powerful people in boxing. With the pathetic condition our sport is in, anyone who can be considered one of its most powerful, should almost by default be run out of town on a rail.
ROUGH GAME OUTSIDE OF RING FOR SURE
But the real issue at stake is not whether this is a fair demise for Larkin the man or Larkin the network executive. The real question is what this means for boxing in general and boxing on television specifically. Showtime insists that it will continue its commitment to boxing, and to Larkins great fights, no rights philosophy, but its hard not to have serious doubts. Boxing is almost as brutal a business as it is a sport, and one wonders how the network can claim to be committed to boxing in a substantial way, while at the same time jettisoning one of the sports main movers and shakers as part of a cost-cutting reorganization. Its not the same as the New York Yankees firing their manager, its more like the New York Yankees deciding that to save cash, theyll do without a manager. After all, surely the third base coach and maybe some executives up in the owners box can surely do as well.
COME 2006, WILL RECIPE REMAIN THE SAME?
Showtime Championship Boxing has finished for 2005, but is slated to return January 7th, with a card that is as yet undetermined. All eyes will be on the first big card of the post-Larkin era, as it may tell volumes about what fans have to look forward to. The Jeff Lacy-Joe Calzaghe tilt at 168 seems all but set for February, but then what? Its difficult to imagine a negotiation between Showtime staple Ricky Hatton and HBO show horse Floyd Mayweather getting done easily without Larkin involved. After all, he was one of the key players in the negotiations that led to the historic joint pay-per-view for the Lennox Lewis (HBO) Mike Tyson (Showtime) clash.
SHO BOX BETTERS HBO BOXING AFTER DARK
But a better signal to Showtimes intentions might be the fate of Sho Box, the monthly broadcast featuring up and coming prospects. As HBOs Boxing After Dark series deteriorated, Sho Box has become a pleasant feature in the fight schedule, introducing the public to future stars and bringing us quality fights that otherwise arent seen. The match-ups are generally a couple cuts above what ESPN seems willing to pay for on Friday Night Fights, but feature young pros that havent yet been knighted HBO-worthy. Larkin guided this boxing aficionados treasure through three strong seasons, and one would imagine that if Showtime is planning to back away from the fight game, Sho Box will be the first to go.
WILL SHOWTIME WALK AWAY FROM THE RING?
While I am indifferent to the fate of a man I never met, the prospect of Showtimes withdrawal from the sport is frightening one. With HBO boxing at its lowest point of quality in years, it would be unfortunate if its main competitor suddenly vanquished itself. If anything was going to force HBO to right its boxing ship, it is most likely to be driven be the same thing that forces improvement and innovation in every other area of commerce, fierce competition.
Lou Ciaccia
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