Usually I like to keep write ups of recent news and bookings separate, but with the big DAZN press conference today those lines are blurred enough to make an exception. Here are all the details on the new streaming service and its initial fights.
- Date and Price – International sports streaming service DAZN, pronounce Da-Zone, has announced its US launch date and price point. It will launch September 10th and be priced at $9.99 per month. This means not only does the modern boxing fan need cable to watch ESPN and PBC fights, he also needs a $5 per month subscription to ESPN+, a $13 dollar subscription to Showtime, a $15 dollar subscription to HBO, and a $10 per month subscription to DAZN. This is an expensive sport to be in love with, no doubt. The current, widely split landscape will also act as a hefty barrier to new fans entry into the sport too. This is a real concern.
- Joshua-Povetkin – Launching the service for boxing will be the big heavyweight defense of three belt superstar Anthony Joshua (22-0, 21 KOs) against longtime Russian contender and former titleholder Alexander Povetkin (34-1, 24 KOs) on September 22nd. This is a pretty big loss to Showtime to lose Joshua to DAZN, even if it ends up being for one fight. Showtime head Stephen Espinoza did publicly take Deontay Wilder’s side in the social media fallout of the failed heavyweight unification negotiations, however, so maybe he knew this was coming. Of note there will be a free month trial offered, so I’d wait for the day before this fight to initiate it to get the most value out of your test run. Don’t wait for the day of, however, to hedge against any technical issues for the young service.
- The US Signings – As for Matchroom USA and its heavily hyped signings to go on DAZN, Eddie Hearn probably didn’t get what he wanted, exactly, but he still got some good stuff. Former two division titleholder Jessie Vargas (28-2-1, 10 KOs), talented super bantamweight titleholder Danny Roman (25-2-1, 9 KOs), former junior middleweight titleholder Demtrius Andrade (25-0, 16 KOs), and heavyweight contender Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller (21-0-1, 18 KOs) are all good signings. He also picked up light heavyweight titleholder Artur Beterbiev (12-0, 12 KOs) in a co-promotional agreement with Montreal based promoter Yvon Michell and the same arrangement with Roc Nation for WBO junior welterweight titleholder Maurice Hooker (24-0-3, 16 KOs) . Beterbiev has been battling Michel in court recently. Though he lost, the relationship is probably contentious and borderline unworkable at this point. My gut tells me Hearn will be his real promoter with the Montreal outfit getting their name up high and a cut on the side, but that is just speculation at this point.
- The First US Shows – October 6th will be Matchroom USA’s first American card for DAZN. It will take place in Chicago and feature Artur Beterbiev taking his IBF mandatory against Callum Johnson (17-0, 12 KOs). Jessie Vargas will also be featured on the show and the hope is the Demetrius Andrade will be as well. Next will be October 20th in Los Angeles for a Danny Roman WBA bantamweight title defense against the suddenly surging Gavin McDonnell (20-1-2, 5 KOs). The tentative plan is to have Maurice Hooker take his first defense here as well as to have Big Baby Miller competing as well. What Eddie will have left for the rest of the year after blowing all of his signings in a two week window I do not know for sure, but he’s ever the crafty promoter. I am sure he has something planned.
- The Package – What else are you getting with DAZN? Supposedly starting in 2019, Hearn is on the hook for both 16 US shows and 16 UK shows for the streaming service. That is a staggering amount of content for one promoter to put out, but if anyone can then it is Matchroom Boxing. The $1 billion dollar check DAZN is cutting for this agreement over eight years, with the first two guaranteed, will certainly help it along. For boxing fans, DAZN will also be the home of season two of the World Boxing Super Series. Season one put on successful and well received tournaments at cruiserweight and super middleweight while the second season is set to hold three tournaments, two of which have been confirmed to be at bantamweight and junior welterweight with pretty loaded fields. If the WBSS runs each and every tournament fight as its own show like it did in season one, that is 21 cards to go with Matchroom’s 32. That right there is 53 boxing shows for 2019, one more than one a week on average. For MMA fans, DAZN will also be the home of Bellator MMA either exclusively or in a co-broadcast with its current linear cable partner.
- My Thoughts – What’s my take on this? For me, it seems worth the value if it all comes off as planned. I would have probably paid $10 a month though just to get access to all of Hearn’s UK cards legally, so I am a bit of a nut. If I am evaluating all the current boxing platforms and their value, it seems to me that there is a big three emerging in the form of ESPN (combined with ESPN+), Showtime, and now DAZN. HBO has willingly left itself in the dust. If boxing is your only concern and you’re worried about the price of DAZN, I’d advise cutting HBO out instead of skipping on the new service. They’ve gotten out of the game on their own accord.
