Addition of K-1 Trove Makes GSI World’s Largest Archive Holder
of Elite and Professional Kickboxing Programming
New York, NY (Sept 18, 2013) – GLORY Sports International has acquired the rights to the significant majority of K-1 programming, one of the best-known kickboxing promotions in the history of the sport. This new acquisition brings the total number of kickboxing programming hours under GSI’s control to nearly 3,000.
GSI is a content producer itself, providing programming to over 170 territories. GSI recently secured a major television distribution deal in the United States with SPIKE TV (a unit of Viacom), with the first event set to premiere on Saturday, October 12, 2013; Glory 11 Chicago will be LIVE in prime time from Hoffman Estates’ Sears Centre at 9 pm Eastern Time.
Scott Rudmann, non-executive Director of GLORY, said, “We are delighted to have successfully acquired the Fuji TV portion of the K-1 catalog and to bring most of the historic K-1 footage into the GLORY library.”
Specifically, GLORY has acquired these rights from the bankruptcy of FEG, the former K-1 promoter in Japan. The rights package comprises the K-1 events that were broadcast by Fuji TV in Japan, and includes the K-1 Grand Prix Finals from locations all over the world dating from 1993 – 2006 and beyond.
The K-1 footage complements GLORY’s existing library, which includes the catalogs for It’s Showtime, Nikko, United Glory and GLORY-produced programming and live events. These historical bouts are now all under the GLORY brand umbrella.
Andrew Whitaker, Chief Executive, GLORY Sports International, added, “With the coming debut of GLORY programming on SPIKE TV and national US television exposure, fight fans will soon see why GLORY is the hottest new story in combat sports.”
