Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the sport of boxing experienced a boom, the likes of which have not been seen in over a decade. Buoyed primarily by the resurgence of the long-dormant heavyweight division, boxing has also gained exposure due to the rise of international boxers in the scene, each of which brings a massive fan base from their home countries.
Guest author Daniel Bennet (view his profile) discusses whether Las Vegas or New York is the current U.S capital for boxing.
Heavyweight Fights Boost Popularity of Boxing
Though boxing has taken some serious blows on the pay-per-view front from mixed martial arts (MMA), the rise of boxers such as Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury, and Anthony Joshua in the heavyweight division has driven a renewed interest in the sweet science. Coupled with the emergence of potential international superstars such as Gennady Golovkin and Vasyl Lomachenko in other divisions, boxing is once again viewed as cool by the larger public.
The US is a key player in the boxing world. Aside from producing some of the most dominant and popular boxers in history – Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson immediately come to mind - fights staged in the US draw in massive numbers, both in live crowds and PPV.
There is a huge boxing fan base in Canada, but sadly none of the top boxing fights take place in Canada. So most boxing fans in Canada have to be content with watching the fights on TV. However, there are some Canadians who save up and make the trip to America to watch the fights in person.
A lot of these Canadian boxing fans not only watch the fights in person but also visit the casinos and enjoy mobile gaming. Players from Canada who are looking for a top online gaming experience can check out online casino reviews to see which casino best suits them.
The biggest boxing matches in recent memory have taken place in the US. When it comes to staging blockbuster boxing matches, there really is no better place to be. The combination of huge arenas, rabid fans, and unparalleled hype in the US make it the only choice for the biggest championship fights.
Two US cities have begun to emerge as the main contenders: New York and Las Vegas. While New York is the traditional capital of US boxing in the non-televised era, the televised boxing era has been dominated by Las Vegas. In recent years, however, New York has begun to reclaim its former throne with several high-profile bouts taking place in the Big Apple.
Is the US boxing capital Vegas, or is the capital New York? In this article, we take a closer look at why we believe Las Vegas remains the US boxing capital despite New York’s mounting challenge.
Las Vegas Offers Boxing Fans a Fuller Experience
New York has traditionally lagged behind Las Vegas in terms of arenas capable of handling the fan turnout to boxing championship events. Due to the differences in taxation between the two states, Las Vegas arenas are much easier to build and maintain.
In recent years, this has changed due to the Barclays Center and the Madison Square Garden gaining ground on Las Vegas’ marquee arenas such as the MGM Grand Garden Arena. But despite such strides, Las Vegas’ reputation as a town built on the hospitality business makes a big difference in providing an overall experience for boxing fans.
While New York boxing fans can take in a fight and brave the commute home afterward, Las Vegas boxing fans have dozens of things to do after the fight – whether you enjoy a cheap filling meal, a live show, or want to gamble, Las Vegas can offer things New York cannot, at least for the time being.
Because Las Vegas arenas are close to casinos, even if a boxing bout turns out to be a dud, boxing fans will still be spoiled for choices on what to do after.
In effect, boxing matches are just the reason for fans to show up, but they are not the main reason for the party. Fans can be disappointed in a Las Vegas fight, but they can still have tons of fun afterwards, unlike New York fights, where the fight itself is the main attraction.
Las Vegas is Cheaper for Organizers
Las Vegas has a clear edge on the tax and fee department. Site fees of staging blockbuster boxing events in Las Vegas are much lower compared to New York. Promoters and organizers have long viewed the city as the gold standard when it comes to clearing a regulatory path to make sure large sports events have as much leeway as possible to generate revenues.
While New York has made some improvements on this front in the last few years, it is clear that the city still needs to do a lot of work to catch up with Las Vegas, which has worked on its regulatory framework for decades, precisely to make staging massive spots events painless for organizers.
Staging a Las Vegas fight is much easier due to the absence of many regulatory roadblocks that still exist in New York. Fighting in Las Vegas can also be more profitable for fighters, where fewer tax rules exist.
Conclusion:
Las Vegas has pipped New York for hosting some of the most popular boxing fights in recent times but New York remains a close second for our money.
