The number of addressable pay-per-view households grew 16% to 37 million in 1997, and is expected to increase an additional 13% to nearly 42 million in 1998, according to the third annual PPV industry report compiled by the Denver-based PPV service Request.
Echoing a report released in November by competing PPV provider Viewer's Choice, the Request overview for 1997 found gross PPV revenues busting $1 billion for the first time to hit $1.186 billion. Of that total, an estimated $585 million came from movie purchases, with $408 million gleaned from event programming.
Request's assessment pinned the 1997 PPV resurgence on such big-ticket boxing events as the Mike Tyson-Evander Holyfield rematch in June, which set a single-event record for the pay industry, coupled with a renewed interest in pro wrestling blockbusters.
In contrast, so-called "combat sports" events such as "The Ultimate Fighting Championship" declined dramatically as a PPV draw last year, in part because MSOs and operators were less willing to carry the events. Concerts also continued to be a lukewarm pay-per-view attraction, contributing less than 2% of all PPV event revenue.
A total of 118 studio titles grossing at least $10 million in domestic theatrical box office revenue were released to PPV in '97, paced by Buena Vista (including Disney, Hollywood Pictures, Touchstone and Miramax) with 28 releases to pay last year.
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