Pacquiao-Mayweather Daily Dose: 60-40 Money Split Refocuses Blame on Mayweather
Published Jan 25 2012 by: Jake Emen | Follow us on Facebook & on Twitter
Today's Pacquiao vs. Mayweather Overkill Update
Sometimes it seems like Floyd Mayweather simply can't leave well enough alone. Finally, after two years, the vast majority of public opinion swayed in his favor regarding the potential dream fight against Manny Pacquiao. By calling Pacquiao out, and then making it public knowledge that he called Pacquiao to speak to him on the phone, and all the while continuing to hammer the point across in the media, it seemed like Mayweather was coming out as the good guy.
Now though, we hear that he no longer is willing to accept a 50/50 split of the revenue, instantly killing his newfound karma. According to a Fightnews report on what Pacquiao said in a recent discussion, Mayweather's latest offer to him was for a 60-40 money split.
Pay-Per-View Sales
Credit: Will Hart - HBO
Now, if you're going to break down which fighter brings more money to the table, Mayweather has a superior track record in terms of pay-per-view sales, which ultimately would bring home the lion's share of the revenue for this bout.
Mayweather's fights against Oscar De La Hoya, and Shane Mosley, are the top two non heavyweight PPVs of all-time, and the De La Hoya fight, with 2.45 million sales, is the all-time number 1. (Mayweather also has two other fights over 1 million in PPV sales - his fights against Victor Ortiz and Juan Manuel Marquez).
Meanwhile, Top Rank has taken to not reporting Pacquiao's PPV sales as of late - a clear sign that they aren't living up to that kind of lofty standard.
You can be damn sure that if Pacquiao's recent pay-per-views against Mosley, Antonio Margarito and Marquez sold as much, or more, than Mayweather has in his top performances, we would all know about it. Loud and clear. ASAP.
In that regard, Mayweather has a legit claim to saying he wants a larger slice of the pie.
Bargaining Chips
Still, 60-40 just doesn't seem feasible. A fight like this, in today's boxing landscape, is going to come down to splitting the money up equally, or offering some form of higher guarantees against lower upsides on pay-per-view sales, or other such economic, small print fine-tuning. It's just the way it's going to have to be.
Now, Mayweather isn't dumb - he's actually quite the astute businessman.
Therefore, what boxing fans have to hope for in this scenario, is that Mayweather's demand for a 60-40 share of the revenue is only the latest bargaining chip in this ongoing, ridiculous saga. By raising his demands financially, he could then come back down - as long as Pacquiao agrees to May 5th at the MGM Grand.
Meanwhile, Team Pacquiao, led by Bob Arum and Michael Koncz, are sticking to their story that they need a later date in May, and they need the proposed outdoor stadium, saying that it could produce as much as $30 million more in revenue.
The pricing that would be necessary to produce that much more revenue isn't feasible though, whatsoever, as Kevin Iole points out. Let's not forget either, that the largest paid gate in boxing history, was once again, the Oscar-Floyd fight, which raked in $18.4 million in ticket sales... at the MGM Grand.... on May 5th.
Not to mention that the outdoor stadium may not even be built in time.
Solutions
Team Pacquiao can remove themselves from their stance on an outdoor stadium and a later date in May, and agree to May 5th at the MGM Grand, the weekend and location of the most lucrative boxing match of all-time, one that happened to include Mr. Mayweather.
Mayweather reverts to a 50-50 revenue share. (Or the fighters could put their money where their mouths are, and split the purse 45-45, with the winner taking home the remaining 10%).
Pacquiao gets his choice of gloves. Mayweather gets his drug testing. Blah blah blah.
Fans get to see Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather fight.
Any takers?
I see your ‘bargaining chip’ angle and agree to it in principle. However, in reality, Mayweather does NOT have a legitimate claim to a larger share of the purse. Both fighters are top draws and their sales in recent fights have seesawed back and forth between them, with no significant advantage to either one.
The Mayweather-Dela Hoya fight cannot be used as grounds for a lion’s share anymore for several reasons: First, Dela HOya was the larger draw in that fight; Second, Mayweather’s more recent fight sales have slipped since then; and third, Pacquiao has been consistently generating million-plus PPV and record-breaking gate sales in his last few fights… this makes him about par with Floyd, give or take a few.
I agree that May 5 is a sticky point and think that Arum should just quit the BS and take the date without excuses, however this so-called bargaining chip is not the way to go… it is weak to say the least, and it makes Floyd look unreasonable and well, not wanting the fight to happen… it really kills all his ‘step up, punk’ blah and shows a different color altogether.
Well said Rodrigo. Another fact left out here is that Pacquiao has a bigger fan base on a global scale then Mayweather does. He is still the recognized p4p king by most credible boxing sources and has a bigger corporate backing (Nike for example). Most would say he is still the face of boxing. ALL things considered, Pacquiao could justifiably ask for 55% of the purse. If Floyd really wants this fight he is overplaying his cards. I suspect that he priced himself out purposely because he doesn’t want to risk the loss. Either way, Floyd suffers the bigger loss if they don’t fight, especially when it comes to legacy.
Hate to be the on to break it to you, but Manny made his legacy from fighting guys Floyd Mayweather already beat.
Really??? Floyd fought and beat Margarito, Cotto and Clottey??? Damn, after watching boxing for nearly 40 years, how did i missed that.
Rod’s right. Truth is Mayweather is not as popular as Pacquiao global-wise because of his off- and- on and off and on or sabatticals in boxing purposely calculated to avoid prime fighters. Pacquiao is the face of boxing today and the one who rescued the sport from MMA’s takeover. The PPV buys that we are talking about is only in the U.S. and Mayweather is an American but despite of that Pacquiao still has a big draw.
Mayweather antics of 60-40 split is a ploy tied to Pacquiao’s dropping the defamation suit against Mayweather. Probably he’s demanding that ridiculous split but may agree to 50-50 if Pacquiao drop the suit. Pacquiao is not that stupid.
Besides being a technically gifted boxer, Floyd is a great tap dancer who managed to tap dance his way out of fights with Moseley, Cotto and Margarito at their respective peaks. He is adopting the same approach with Pacquiao, in a very subtle manner. I can’t see him agreeing to a 50-50 split until way after Pacquiao has delved deep into politics and has no intention of boxing, the way Leonard offered Hagler a return fight way after Hagler had started acting in films.
Well… Floyd will never run out of excuses. The sad part is that there’s still a bunch of idiots supporting his claim of not agreeing 50/50 split. At least Teddy Atlas has open his eyes. Truly Floyd is too scared to fight Pacquiao. PERIOD
@Pease!!!!!When you speak of a great like floyed you fagg understand he has never ran from another fighter period he is pound for pound the greatest fighter that has ever lived not manny the rice eater who has LOST 3 Times in his professional career.See the problem with you punks you want a HERO some one you can swing off their nutt-sack when you feeling lonley and that ok.but when you make comments like that about boxings greatest.
Unless it’s Manny vs Money I’m not buying their PPV. Period.
I think I share the majority feeling out there. The fans are tired of the merry-go-round.
You guys sound like a bunch of faggs if you think mayweather is going to split 50/50 with a bumed out fighter like manny who lost 3 times to fighters mayweather has already beat!now mayweather has never lost a fight to another fighter,has never tied a fight with another boxer how is manny the better fighter and deserves 50/50 split of the purse?you faggs will see that rice eater eat canvas if they fight in vagas.
You forgot to say that Floyd wants the PPV share all to himself and Manny zero share.
Floyd’s claim to highest PPV was 6 years ago with ODLH having a bigger fan base. Recently, it has been Manny dominating the PPV sales according to HBO, although, they refused to officially publish PPV of FLoyd/Ortiz. Too low perhaps?
My point is, why would Floyd not share PPV revenue if not to totally kill the fight?
Guess who is Pacquiao’s number one fan since 2007? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_HhMQnbjGc&feature=player_embedded#!
It’s Floydie!
..to “sum well” it all: Mayweather is still scared to fight Pacquiao. Period!!!
Where was he when boxing was almost devoured by MMA? He was hiding from prime fighters in his mansion but busy beating WOMEN while Pacquiao was busy fighting all the percieved prime fighters available and just run out of opponents. He’s the hero that salvaged boxing from MMA takeover. And now he want to “harvest” everything that Pacquiao worked hard “planting”. WHAT A PUNK!!!!