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Media notes – Part 2
By Zach Arnold | June 6, 2006
Yahoo Japan HP main page: “PRIDE & Hustle TV disappearance?”
By Zach Arnold
Update: Weekly Pro reports that fans are being allowed to attend the PRIDE press conference tomorrow (Thursday) with Sakakibara.
On a somewhat related note, I made a guest appearance today on the Figure Four Daily audio show, discussing the latest issues with DSE and Fuji TV. Please go check it out.
Onto today’s Japanese media notes about the latest situation with PRIDE & Fuji TV. (Ed. note — this post will be updated throughout the next 12-18 hours.)
Sankei Sports has an article talking about DSE management putting on “a bullish front,” trying to show strength in public. Management is talking big, claiming that they are scheduled to continue running shows all the way up until the November 5th Yokohama Arena show (Bushido – Welterweight GP tournament finals). DSE boss Nobuyuki Sakakibara is planning for a Thursday press conference in which it is expected that he will have several Japanese fighters with him to try to put on a brave face. The Sankei Sports article quotes former New Japan boss Seiji Sakaguchi, with him stating that he is worried about the future of the Kakutougi (Fight) world now that Fuji TV has canceled PRIDE’s contract. In other words, he’s doubtful about the company’s future.
Sports Nippon reports that SkyPerfecTV, the satellite PPV company that PRIDE & Hustle events air on, is considering cutting ties with DSE. It should be noted that the Fuji-Sankei group owns a stake in SkyPerfecTV, making the PPV situation an ominous one at best. The report also states that the DSE office is getting flooded with over 300 calls by fans, asking about whether or not there will be shows in the future. In a related post online, Gryphon breaks down the numbers of PRIDE & Hustle shows on SkyPerfecTV. (In summary – without Fuji TV’s support, DSE is devastated. Without TV support and PPV support, the company is crippled.)
Nikkan Sports has an article about Fuji TV’s PR department getting flooded with calls by PRIDE fans, asking officials “Why do you discontinue PRIDE?” The PR department told the paper that they are unsure as to whether or not they will have a fighting event on New Year’s Eve. In a separate newspaper article, the paper reports that there are several fans hanging out in front of DSE’s office to be supporters.
The Wrestling Blog has a very good English summary of the events that led to what is currently happening.
Ivan Trembow on MMA Weekly notes that DSE filing a lawsuit against Fuji TV is a futile move:
PRIDE has not announced any plans to legally challenge Fuji TV’s termination of the contract, but such a move would be futile because the company’s contract with Fuji TV was already set to expire in September 2006 and had not been renewed. So, even if PRIDE were to theoretically obtain a court ruling stating that Fuji TV cannot terminate its contract with PRIDE prematurely, Fuji TV could then choose to simply not renew the contract when it expires in September.
Topics: All Topics, Japan, MMA, Media, PRIDE, Zach Arnold | 2 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback | Share This
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I imagine, however, that even if the contract does expire in September, DSE would get compensation for potential income lost from now to then (or whenever the court would reinstate the contract, if at all). So while Fuji TV wouldn’t have to extend the contract, they’d probably have to pay DSE off in the end to compensate for the breach of contract (if the court were to find Fuji TV in violation).