K-1/DREAM Partnered With PUJI, Set For Global Domination

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snakerattle79
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K-1/DREAM Partnered With PUJI, Set For Global Domination

Postby snakerattle79 » Fri Jul 16, 2010 8:28 am

Global domination gang...

A big FEG press conference took place today where it was announced that FEG are partnering up with Chinese investment bank PUJI CAPITAL. They are aiming at taking K-1 and DREAM global and PUJI will help with funds and other know-how.

Since Japan has been left behind in the Kakutougi (Combat Sports) world they want to build the worlds largest fighting company once again and taking over the Asian market will be the first step in that plan...read more

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Re: K-1/DREAM Partnered With PUJI, Set For Global Domination

Postby broncofan » Sun Jul 18, 2010 4:07 pm

http://www.k-1.co.jp/en/news/2010/0718_release_01.html


FEG Inc., producers of K-1 and DREAM, called a press conference at the Tokyo Imperial Hotel to discuss a new partnership and the future of fighting sport. At the press conference were FEG Inc. Director and CEO Sadaharu Tanikawa, FEG Korea Director Young-Soo Jung, DREAM Event Producer Keiichi Sasahara, with Michael Chien and Jotaro Nonaka from investment firm Puji Capitals.

Tanikawa opened the press conference announcing a partnership with Shanghai-based investment bank Puji Capitals in order to "win in the world market and become the world's greatest fight sport company. To recreate or even eclipse the success of soccer's World Cup, we will bring in investors from all over the world and partner with businesses all over the world. We have formed a business entity called an SPV (special purpose vehicle) in order to create an organization like soccer's FIFA and to take the UFC and WWE head on."

Puji Capitals Managing Partner Chien along with Senior Partner Nonaka explained that their business is part of Puji Holdings, a new investment firm created 6 years ago that is based in Shanghai and is active in Beijing, Singapore, and throughout Asia. The Puji group is diversified also dealing in coal, oil and natural energy resources. They are hired by the Chinese government to develop business enterprises overseas such as in Africa and Australia. They also have interests in entertainment business based mostly in Shanghai. Chien then went on to explain the SPV created with FEG. "We will recruit partners from our international network including businesses in Europe, North America, South America, and Asia in order to create business opportunities and we will support the process as an investment bank."

Chien continued, "This partnership is very exciting. K-1 and DREAM that grew out of PRIDE are the pioneers of professional martial arts. These sports owned by FEG have a history and have used tremendous power to carve out a huge fan base. To have two such internationally known brands is very important. Even with such recognized brands, there is still so much untapped overseas potential and we would like to completely explore that potential. We will help as advisors on the international market." He went on to explain Puji's goals of the partnership: 1. to expand FEG's platform internationally, 2. to make it into a global business, 3. to quickly construct a business model with the platform as a base.

According to Tanikawa, they met with Puji first in October of last year and began serious talks this Spring. Puji is already talking with possible investors such as China's largest media company SMG, and Infront Sports & Media which along with Dentsu helped produced the World Cup and is one of the world's top 3 sports marketing companies. Chien explained that Puji was also in negotiations with several other companies and hopes to raise twenty to thirty billion yen with in the first three years and hopes to expand the business into a hundred billion yen organization.

FEG Korea's Jung talked about FEG's previous succesful globalization attempts in Korea.

"FEG's first international success was in Korea. FEG Korea was created in May of 2007 and has hosted the WGP Final 16 for 3 consecutive years and we hope to host again this year. Korea's national sport Taekwondo has over 70 million practicioners and we are connected with the Taekwondo Association. We already prepared to debut several recommended fighters. We expect some strong Taekwondo-based fighters in K-1 soon."

DREAM Event Producer Sasahara also had some comments, "When you think of international standard in fightsport UFC may come to mind, but we plan to replace them in that respect. The numbers 20 or 30 billion have been mentioned and I think fighting sport definitely has that kind of potential. I'm sure the fans are wondering what kind of effect the partnership will have on K-1 and DREAM."

In response, Tanikawa explained, "basically nothing will change. K-1 heavyweight, MAX, under 63 kilos tournaments will be the base. DREAM also will continue to be based around the championship. FUJI and TBS will be handling the Japanese tournaments, but we'll probably be seeing a Chinese league, a North American league etc. This year's Final 16 will be on October 2nd in Korea and the World Final will be on December 11th. We'll probably be announcing new partnerships within the next two or three months. From the Fall, things should be moving right along."

With the new partnership, FEG and K-1 are ready to head into a new phase of international expansion and reassert Asia, birthplace of martial arts, as the center of the fightsport world.
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