STARBLOG – Going where no PR company has gone before

No 1, October 14, 2009
What a knockout! As Samoan sensation David “Tuamanator” Tua was sending the valiant Shane Cameron to sleep with a volley of punches in Hamilton last week, Star Public Relations was clocking up a media KO itself, with unprecedented press interest in and coverage of the Fight of the Century.
More than eight months of PR and promotional buildup created a huge event with virtually wall to wall media exposure in the weeks leading up to the long-awaited showdown. The pre-fight media conference a t Auckland’s Union Steam Ship pub attracted more than 90 members of the news media and filled media bulletins all day.
All the more remarkable as the announcement of the event back in February, 2009 was greeted with media cynicism, and headlines of “it’ll never happen”.
Star’s Malcolm Boyle and Haley Lynch accepted the brief from promoters Duco Events to win the battle for air time and ink space for the event which the media themselves titled “The Fight of the Century”. The doubters included that old warrior himself Sir Bob Jones, and a handful of columnists who firstly predicted its demise and then, as it became evident it was “fight on”, switched corners.
To be fair, Sir Bob made his initial assessment on scant information, and without the benefit of meeting the talented pair of promoters behind the big stoush, David Higgins and John McCrae. Their first foray into boxing couldn’t have been more successful, all but filling Mystery Creek stadium and breaking numerous records for Sky pay-per-view packages, and TAB betting along the way.
In the midst of a whirlwind of activity , the media was provided with daily opportunities for coverage from both fighters’ camps – and they responded massively.
Media commented that they had never been looked after (in every sense of the word) so well, and the result was unprecedented coverage for a New Zealand boxing match, and coverage which would have outpointed even the most voluminous from an All Blacks Rugby Test match.
Hamilton literally buzzed with excitement – big time boxing was back in a style beyond the wildest dreams of its long-suffering supporters. And now there’s the promise of many more big fights now on the promoters’ agenda.
Boyle, one of New Zealand’s most experienced sports marketing professionals said the outcome of the whole event was bigger than anyone has imagined. “There was an insatiable demand for news and information from the New Zealand media.
“Several columnists have egg on their faces about the successful outcome of the whole event, but they have long been jaundiced about sport and it may time for them to park their PCs and head into the distance.”
As part of their fight boxing immersion, heavyweight Boyle and his featherweight colleague Lynch headed off to the Mike Tyson docu-movie (“scarily awesome” says Lynch), and a rousing Auckland Boxing Association club night (“great grass roots action” says Boyle).
The whole project for us was a massive undertaking, with dozens of media calls every day as the anticipation built. “And what’s more, we’d start it all again tomorrow if we could…”
Ends.

STARBLOG - Can we think again?

The progressive local body politicians in the city of Hamilton showed their entrepreneurial acumen once again this month with their support of the record-breaking Fight of the Century between David Tua and Shane Cameron at Mystery Creek, hot on the heels of the outstanding V8 Supercars event.
While other Councils shied away when tyro promoters David Higgins and John McCrea came knocking, the good people of the Waikato welcomed them with open arms and a sweetener to have them stage New Zealand’s biggest boxing event in their city.
It was clear evidence, if needed, that cities with the foresight to see and attract good promotions, deserve to (and will) succeed. And with numerous stadia now undergoing upgrades in anticipation of the Rugby World Cup 2011, it would pay all Councils to take heed of the fact that they need brave promoters with strong events to fill the seats regularly.
It was easy, sitting in the almost sold out Mystery Creek stadium to rue the day when we Aucklanders declined to accept Trevor Mallard’s Labour Party bribe of our own waterfront stadium.
My bet is that we would now be looking at an audience of 30 – 40,000 when David Tua inevitable fights for, or defends a world heavyweight title. Found anyone lately who actually admits they voted against the waterfront stadium? – Malcolm Boyle.