Top Rank Real Time aims to offer a daily exclusive, behind-the-scenes perspective into the lives of renowned fighters such as Vasiliy Lomachenko, Devin Haney, Francis Ngannou, Shakur Stevenson, Jake Paul, and Tyson Fury during the pivotal weeks leading up to their significant career bouts. Our objective is to immerse fans in the intimate details of the fighters' training camps, family life and provide unprecedented access to their preparation and mindset before the most crucial events of their careers.
By delivering this unparalleled access, we seek to forge a deeper connection between fans and their favorite fighters, fostering a more personal and engaging fan experience. Our goal is to go beyond the surface-level coverage and showcase the dedication, sacrifice, and determination that goes into reaching the pinnacle of the sporting world. Through compelling narratives and captivating visuals, Top Rank Real Time aims to build anticipation and excitement among the audience, ultimately driving them to tune in and watch the culmination of these athletes' efforts on Saturday night.
Bringing Top Rank: Real Time to life involves a dynamic and adaptive strategy, considering the diverse personalities of athletes and the unique challenges posed by each event. The key to our success lies in the ability to make quick, on-the-fly adjustments to craft expertly tailored storylines that resonate with audiences.
The project's execution is characterized by meticulous coordination among producers, videographers, editors, and runners to ensure the timely release of each episode on YouTube within hours of the events concluding. Real Time is aptly named, reflecting our commitment to delivering content in real-time, capturing the raw emotions and behind-the-scenes moments of fighters in the midst of their biggest weeks.
During each event, a team of producers, editors and videographers are deployed, with each videographer dedicated to following marquee athletes. This approach ensures comprehensive coverage, capturing intimate moments and training insights that provide fans with an authentic glimpse into the lives of their favorite fighters. The selection of personable videographers is crucial, as their ability to build trust with the athletes is paramount when capturing vulnerable moments.
One of the project's unique features is the adaptability to the individual preferences and privacy concerns of each athlete. Some athletes may limit access outside of fight week events, while others may choose not to appear on certain days. Overcoming these challenges requires creativity from producers and editors to either navigate around these roadblocks or incorporate them into a compelling storyline, maintaining the authenticity of the narrative.
This year, the expansion of boxing events in Saudi Arabia brought new elements into the production, requiring the team to navigate unfamiliar territory and understand the specific rules and logistics associated with the location. Additionally, these monumental events had the team work with superstar entertainers like Jake Paul and Francis Ngannou, with whom we had no prior working experience. Building trust and being able to cohesively explain that we are there to help promote their fight, not hurt is paramount in unlocking the access we needed.
The results of the 2023 Real Time series exceeded our expectations, showcasing the success of our efforts in delivering compelling behind-the-scenes coverage of major Top Rank Boxing events. With coverage spanning eight events in five cities across two continents, totaling 48 episodes and over six million views, our team demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt and capture diverse narratives across a variety of scenarios.
The standout success was the Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury pay-per-view (PPV) event, which became the most viewed Real Time event of all time, garnering an impressive 2.3 million views on Top Rank's YouTube channel. The Haney vs Lomachenko PPV event secured the third spot with 1.6 million views, underscoring the consistent appeal of our content.
The substantial increase in viewership is a testament to the series' growing popularity, with a remarkable 77% increase in viewership per episode compared to the previous year. The overall viewership surged by an even more impressive 97%, highlighting the expanding reach and engagement of the Real Time series.
