Top Rank And ESPN Are Done – What’s Next?

ESPN and Top Rank will go their separate ways following their eight-year relationship. 

Reports indicate that they will part in the summer. However, Top Rank could leave earlier if it reaches a deal with another broadcaster. The news comes in light of the uncertainty surrounding ESPN’s future with the big sports. The UFC is also reportedly considering leaving the network as they will be allowed to speak to other broadcasters in April. Bob Arum recently confirmed that he was looking to take Top Rank in a different direction, with suggestions that he may seek a multi-network deal with different broadcasters. Platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and DAZN are likely to be in contention.

Arum’s Vision

“What we’re trying to do is to do what other major sports have been doing, whether it’s the NFL or the NBA, is to do packages. So you get more than one television entity involved and that’s what we’re doing. We’ll be announcing soon the concluding deals with various entities which I think will lead to increased coverage of boxing at least from Top Rank’s perspective in the United States,” Arum said 

DAZN has already established itself as one of the biggest broadcasters in the world. It regularly works alongside Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions and Queensbury Promotions. It has also helped transcend boxing to a global sport, becoming the main broadcaster for the Saudis. This naturally leaves question marks over where Top Rank will go next. DAZN is likely to be the number one leading contender. They have extended their presence within the United States, the UK and The Kingdom. Frank Warren, who was very critical of DAZN, has now become one of its main backers. 

DAZN’s Standing

“We’re with a channel that’s a boxing channel. First of all, it’s great for the fans. They haven’t got to go and have three or four subscriptions. The home of boxing, that’s what it is. “We made a conscious decision and I did that after meeting all the top brass [at DAZN], meeting Sir Len [Blavatnik], and seeing their vision because I wasn’t a believer in this to start with.

“I am now. I am a believer in what they’ve done and what their ambitions are. We’ve worked very hard ourselves. That’s why they made us the offer and we accepted it, because as a team we’ve moved forward. “We want to be the best promoter on the channel. We will be the best and I think we are the best promoters on the channel, but it’s going to be competitive,” Warren said 

After initially receiving a lot of criticism for leaving Sky Sports, Eddie Hearn has now been praised for helping put on some of the biggest shows on DAZN. Arum could now follow suit. ESPN will host its next fight featuring Keyshawn Davis and Denys Berinchyk on February 14. That could be one of the very few last fights, depending on how quickly Top Rank secures its next move.