Better viewers pay than ratepayers

The Herald reports:

Pay-per-view prices for Joseph Parker’s heavyweight world title fight are set to go sky high, with punters and pubs expected to cop the fallout from Auckland Council’s refusal on ratepayer funding.

The Herald on Sunday understands from a well-placed source that the pay-TV price for Parker’s fight against Andy Ruiz Jr next month could now be set between $70 and $100.

That’s could be more than twice the price punters will pay to see global star Manny Pacquiao take on Jessie Vargas today, and a significant increase on the $39.95 fans were charged to watch Parker’s last fight against Alexander Dimitrenko a month ago.

It would also be way above the $49.95 some forked out to watch Parker face Carlos Takam in May – the fight which triggered public backlash over pay-TV prices being too high and controversy over illegal online streaming, as irritated fans tried to dodge costs.

And it doesn’t stop there. In what would outrage Kiwi sports fans, pubs and bars might have to resort to entry fees in order to try and claw back the inflated charges they could face to publicly screen the event. It’s understood those costs could rise from around $1400 to $2000-$2500.

Owner of The Fox sports bar in Auckland’s viaduct, Brett MacLean, said the price to screen Parker’s last fight already jumped significantly. Further costs would mean he’d have to consider charging at the door.

I don’t see the problem. Viewers should pay to see the fight, rather than ratepayers who don’t want to see it.

The price will be set by market forces. The promoter will charge as much as they can, in order to maximise revenue. If they charge too much, then they’ll actually earn less revenue as fewer will pay.