Is Victor Ortiz on the Threshold of
Stardom?
By Martin Wade
What is fame? what is the
phenomenon that renders a once anonymous individual a household
name? Major corporations spend millions of dollars to replicate
the process but few individuals become one-named brands, and few
can maintain that gleam for long. The reality show format, that
bastard child of the entertainment industry's coup to seize
power back from writers, only complicates the process. In
conjunction with Social Media and technology we now live in a
world where the Kennedys, a family of dignitaries and social
servants have been supplanted as our "royalty" by a tribe (the
Kardashians) known for having nice a$$es. Sports, by definition
is reality programming for men with real drama and real
results-if women focus on relational conflict men want to know
"who" is the winner. Driven by mammoth centralized governing
bodies team sports have elevated "star making" to art but even
"legit" meritocracies aren't prepared for natural hurricanes
like the impact of a Tim Tebow.
Boxing can only be so lucky; our
stars are hard to come by and without a focused governing body
like the UFC we have to depend on promoters,
and
even worse, the
fighters themselves. Our biggest "stars" over the last 30 years
have been the products of individual "teams" of representatives
and a once glorious Olympic feeding system propelled by network
TV -today only the "team" subsists. Our latest megawatt
personality was Oscar De La Hoya who is now the omnipresent
promoter in boxing. Given his experience as "product" he is
probably the best qualified to give us the star we've been
waiting on to fill his shoes.
From his
latest actions he's made it clear he's chosen an heir in WBC
Welterweight Champion Victor Ortiz.
The
Midas touch
After episode 2 of
Mayweather/Ortiz 24/7, Boxing's Pound for Pound best, complained
about the coverage given to Victor Ortiz and the blatant
patronage given by Oscar De La Hoya. The series is the
brainchild of 34 year old Floyd Mayweather, Jr., so
understandably he'd feel slighted by a new star being launched
right under his nose. Consider this, in his heyday De La Hoya
would draw more women to watch him strip down and step on a
scale than Floyd could draw paying customers in a hometown
fight... in Ortiz, De La Hoya views the same potential.
When you watch a Golden Boy pay per view and the announcer gives
you, the viewer, a deep sponsorship run down, understand that it
is made possible by the corporate weight of Oscar De La Hoya.
The
Ortiz "story" may get tiresome to boxing fans but the repetition
is designed to draw in viewers that wouldn't normally be
interested in boxing. The Ortiz vignette coupled with the
footage of Mayweather burning money in these economic times and
blindly singing about "no refunds" (to his "haters") is all
science. The same science that allowed ABC cameras to focus
on the picture of Ray Leonard's girlfriend taped to his socks,
gladiator as sympathetic figure, and the gateway into Middle
American homes. Golden Boy is fully aware that in Ortiz they
have the raw materials to build the next attraction in the post
Mayweather-Pacquiao era. Appearances like the CNN Piers Morgan
interview were designed to present him to a broader audience and
establish a Q Rating beyond the ring. The so-called "Victoria's
Secret" underwear model ad Floyd Mayweather points out in 24/7,
is actually an ad freshpair.com, an online company supplying underwear
to millions in a metro sexual world dominated by males
who identify with "The Situation" from MTV's "Jersey Shore."
De La Hoya knows intimately the power of a hot trending stock, and
he's using this promotion to create one in Ortiz. This is 2011,
celebrity admissions of addiction and debauchery are COMMON
PLACE opportunities to promote books and movies; instead of a
"tell-all-book" Oscar chose to mention Victor Ortiz at every
stop of his "confessional tour." Now, what I'm saying may not
appeal to you, and it may get on your nerves, but, building a
real star isn't about YOU. It is about reaching out to consumers
beyond the "base."
And
what a base it is
The Latin
explosion of the late 90's was essential to the careers of Oscar
De La Hoya, Tito Trinidad and Fernando Vargas. Julio Cesar Chavez
pioneered the market but in his day Univision, Telemundo, and
ESPN Deportes were not on your cable channel line-up. The
economic elephant in Boxing's room is the Mexican fan, and they
are more loyal and particular than any other fan base. Even
Oscar had to work for their love, finally earning it by beating
down Fernando Vargas who symbolically fulfilled all of their
requirements. When Victor Ortiz got up off of the mat to defeat
Andre Berto he didn't make his "bones" with Mexicans, but he set
up an environment where it is possible. What the Mexican fan
demands is effort and machismo over everything including
victory -just ask Oscar about the last 4 rounds vs. Trinidad.
Perversely prideful they want you to "go out like a man,", which
is why a mercurial comet like Vargas is adored to this day. They
follow Julio Chavez Jr. as an emotional obligation, and if he
(Chavez Jr.) puts his limited arsenal against Sergio Martinez
in sure defeat and fights with heart "like" his father he'll
never buy another beer in his life. On September 17th
Victor Ortiz will be held to the same standard and if he
conducts himself as a man he'll have the key to boxing's piggy
bank for as long as he is active.
Win or
Lose, just ask Oscar who never won a "Super Fight."
The Browning of America is Generational
The
fastest growing minority in the United States of America is also
the one with the most people under the age of 25. Go to any
website or Social Network with a Boxing themed page and you will
find that the most active and sophisticated fans are young
Latinos. I once saw Floyd Mayweather swamped by young
Mexican fans seeking autographs at Pacquiao vs. Morales 2. Why?
Because the young aren't necessarily as tribal as their
elders; they respect quality and skill. The youth want their own
idols, someone to say they grew up with; if Carlos Zarate
belonged to "Lito" then the job of "idol" is still open for "Tu
Nieto." They respect the Mayweathers and De La Hoyas but Victor
Ortiz being the same age is in a position to secure their love.
Mexican Independence Day is the perfect platform for Victor
Ortiz to secure that love, and GBP in its infinite wisdom and
history with De La Hoya knows this. If legends and stars are made
in the World Series and Super Bowls this weekend is reserved for
a Mexican fighter to put his stamp on the sport and "business"
of Boxing. Victor Ortiz is two generations removed from Julio
Cesar Chavez, and he isn't burdened by the cross De La Hoya had
to carry; the world to him is much smaller than the one the first
Golden Boy ruled, and it can be tweeted out to you by touch-screen keypad.
The
Ortiz "Campaign" is an inspired move that you should appreciate
Let's face
it HBO is the Defacto "promoter of record" for the major leagues
in boxing. It is their business to not only provide us the
fights we want, but to give us the stars of tomorrow. They've
been off base mostly, and held over a barrel by Al Haymon and
yes at times Golden Boy Promotions- but the Ortiz success arch is
the purest route we've seen in years. Floyd Mayweather had the
opportunity to own HBO when he beat De La Hoya in 2007 but
inactivity and dubious out of the ring conduct makes him the
short term prospect he is. You can't build on a product that
openly hints at retiring during the promotion of his current
event. HBO is totally invested in making Mayweather vs. Pacquiao
but where has it gotten them so far? why not invest air time to
a property that can generate PPV buys in 2015? The NFL and NBA
would never invest everything into a "face" who is 34 yrs. old
and barely active, centralized governance is usually focused on
the next 10 years, not next week. The NFL reboots every year, if
old divas like T.O. and Randy Moss don't find work you still
get Football. As a fan you should want to learn more about a 24
yr. old kid who fought his way to the top, it's the next Roger
Mayweather "F bomb" that should really bore you. Floyd
Mayweather did a wonderful job of self-promotion from 2006 until
right about the time he hit "record" on Ustream, and you should
see right through his fear of Ortiz becoming a star. In order
for boxing to flourish we can't allow two men in their 30's, who
may never fight, to control the narrative. Victor Ortiz may not
be the central "figure" of today but damnit we should start
writing the first lines of boxing's tomorrow.
Who knows,
tomorrow may come sooner than you think.
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