Glory Sports Keeping DREAM Alive in 2013

[keithlewis]

We will see more of the DREAM promotion this year, according to sources close to AsianMMA.com.

DREAM, which is now officially owned and operated by GLORY, has plans of hosting four more shows in 2013, not including the NYE show that already occurred. In addition, the promotion plans to hold 10 kickboxing shows in the year 2013. No word as to whether or not these will be in Japan, but based on the interest garnered during the last event, it could certainly happen.

Real Entertainment, the operating entity that owned the DREAM brand went bankrupt in 2012 and sold the rights off to an entity belonging to GSI (Glory Sports International). The exact details are sketchy, as with any international business deal, especially related to Japanese combat sports.

Following the transfer of ownership to all intellectual property and rights of the brand, GLORY put on a huge New Years Eve spectacle that included a heavyweight kickboxing tournament, as well as a mixed martial arts show.

GLORY is close to locking up a deal with one of two brands, Spike TV and CBSSports. According to sources close to AsianMMA, the New Years Eve show was not a time buy and CBS paid GLORY to air their content. For those that are unaware of what a time buy is, a number of promotions that are trying to make it big will pay a network to put their product on a big channel. Upon doing so, they are then able to market their brand as being shown on a certain network, thus using that as advertising power. GLORY, however, did not do this.

Spike TV executives were at Saitama Super Arena just weeks ago to watch the event and met with executives from GLORY. A television deal appears to be in the mix with GLORY, but nothing has been confirmed. We do know that the K-1 brand is over with on SpikeTV, thus leaving an entrance for the GLORY brand.

MMAWeekly.com has also confirmed that the two sides are talking and that an agreement could happen sooner rather than later. Any such agreement would likely bring GLORY’S kickboxing efforts to Spike TV, but not include DREAM, as the network is committed to Bellator MMA for its mixed martial arts offerings.