<
        >

          Boxing Blog

          Plenty of 'Money' in the ring and the crowd

          play
          Issues with MayPac PPV (1:16)

          Darren Rovell discusses the issues experienced by some fans ordering Saturday's Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao PPV. (1:16)

          • Darren Rovell, ESPN Senior WriterMay 3, 2015, 02:56 AM ET
            Close
            • ESPN.com's sports business reporter since 2012; previously at ESPN from 2000-06
            • Appears on SportsCenter, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com and with ABC News
            • Formerly worked as analyst at CNBC

          This story has been corrected. Read below.

          LAS VEGAS -- It was a scene that didn't disappoint. Millionaires and billionaires sitting next to each other for the fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, one of the greatest gatherings of money and power this world has ever seen.

          Before the fight, Mark Wahlberg was arguing with Bradley Cooper, who was sitting next to Fox chairman Rupert Murdoch. To Cooper's left was Yahoo chairman Terry Semel and Bobby Freedman. In front of Freedman sat former NBA stars Reggie Miller and Charles Barkley, separated by Turner Broadcasting president David Levy. Everywhere you turned, there was celebrity: agent Ari Emanuel, Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi, Jay Z and Beyoncé.

          Perhaps for the first time since the Evander Holyfield-Mike Tyson bouts, boxing was top of mind. And it was fun. You could tell some among the elite ringside crowd were experiencing the type of joy associated with the sport that they haven't felt in a long time -- or maybe ever.

          The feeling at home for those who forked over $100 might have been that Floyd was boring and Manny didn't do enough. Because of that, buying the fight wasn't worth it.

          But for the high rollers, the fight wasn't a disappointment. To be part of the adrenaline and the hype this sport once had was worth it.

          That is why it's hard to believe a man whose nickname is "Money" wouldn't try to do this again. Or why a guy who trademarked "The Best Ever" would stop at 49-0 just like Rocky Marciano did.

          For those who have the money, there was the sense, as they walked out of the MGM Garden Arena, that they wanted to do this again.

          Sure, a few of them can meet at a Super Bowl or an NBA Finals, but boxing -- with the closeness to the action -- provides something those other sports don't.

          If it's not Mayweather who can get them craving to be close to the ring again, who would it be? And how long would it take to develop that person?

          If there's a sense of disappointment, it's because there's not a next in line that can guarantee them this feeling any time soon.

          A May 3 post on ESPN.com and segment on SportsCenter incorrectly characterized the occupation of Bobby Freedman. The characterization has been removed.