Comments on: DSE press conference notes

By: FightOpinion.com - Your Global Connection to the Fight Industry.

FightOpinion.com - Your Global Connection to the Fight Industry. — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 03:20:48 +0000

[...] The impact of losing Fuji TV was a devastating blow for PRIDE. All one needs to do is to refer to what PRIDE boss Nobuyuki Sakakibara said at the infamous June 7th press conference in regards to how PRIDE got dumped by Fuji TV in the first place. Anyone who watched the Japanese version of the PRIDE telecast on SkyPerfecTV did notice some differences in production-values. Without having Fuji TV’s mega-slick production technology at hand, it made a noticeable difference. The spin-doctoring of PRIDE’s health as an organization right now is something that needs to be challenged by everyone – the media, the fans, and people doing business with the company right now. [...]

By: FightOpinion.com - Your Global Connection to the Fight Industry.

FightOpinion.com - Your Global Connection to the Fight Industry. — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 11:49:46 +0000

[...] As you could imagine today, there was a giant fallout in media reaction (newspapers, TV, etc.) in regards to the Thursday press conference that DSE management held at the Prince Hotel in Tokyo. We will take a look at some of the reaction from the press (both from English and Japanese sources). [...]

By: Zach Arnold

Zach Arnold — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 02:11:19 +0000

[Sakakibara is denying that the breach is about the Yakuza connection, and also denying that heâ€™s mobbed up, but is he saying what the breach of contract is? It seems to me like he is taking the termination of the contract lying down, sort of admitting to whatever it is Fuji is accusing him of. If DSE had not committed the violation that allowed Fuji to terminate their contract, I would think that they would be making a lot more noise about it.]

Not only that, but he was also trying to state that the whole deal was a “misunderstanding” between the two parties, even going as far as calling Fuji TV “a victim.” You’re right – it was both a unique and bizarre strategy.

By: Sam Scaff

Sam Scaff — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 01:51:20 +0000

I think the question is what is the “breach of contract” that is allowing Fuji to just terminate the relationship at the drop of a dime?

Sakakibara is denying that the breach is about the Yakuza connection, and also denying that he’s mobbed up, but is he saying what the breach of contract is? It seems to me like he is taking the termination of the contract lying down, sort of admitting to whatever it is Fuji is accusing him of. If DSE had not committed the violation that allowed Fuji to terminate their contract, I would think that they would be making a lot more noise about it.

By: KAKA

KAKA — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 23:38:48 +0000

ok but i don’t think this is very important…
we are talking about pride here….

By: Zach Arnold

Zach Arnold — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 11:27:28 +0000

Please try to avoid using capital letters. Thanks.

By: KAKA

KAKA — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 11:21:52 +0000

I AM AFFRAID THAT DSE IS GOING TO MEET SERIOUS TROUBLE TO PAY THE FIGHTER WHAT THEY WANT… IF sakakibara DONT FIND A NEW TV PARTNER REALLY SOON WE MAY SEE FIGHTERS LEAVING PRIDE FOR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS K1 AND IFL…..
IT IS A SHAME WE MAY SEE THE FALL OF PRIDE

By: bushido

bushido — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 09:46:52 +0000

well sorting through all of this

(1) dse has nothing to say about having a new broadcast partner. the situation with skyp was not mentioned, although it has been reported that skyp will also pull out, since fuji owns a big part of them as well.

(2) sakakibara is denying his yakuza links – but then again, did anybody expect him to admit that he is a yakuza front man?

(3) sakakibara’s best evidence of not being a yakuza is the fact that he is not arrested…… yet. but i wonder whether he will sue (a) fujitv (b) gendai (c) kawamata? he’s been threatening to do so since April

(4) dse is going back to its roots when it had no broadcast partner. thats nice for dse, but i wonder how many fighters will want to fight at “going back to our roots” fight money

(5) they announced the card. yoshida is fighting mirko, but with Hard Gay rumoured to be withdrawing from hustle, it is still not clear whether yoshida will risk cutting himself off from fuji tv to fight on 1 july

seems to me that since sakakibara had nothing to add, other than make denials, dse’s position is even worse than before the press conference

By: Fight Report » Sakakibara denies Yakuza ties; Hughes-Gracie 500,000 PPV buys?

Thu, 08 Jun 2006 08:06:20 +0000

[...] Zach Arnold of FightOpinion continues his fine coverage of the Pride-Yakuza scandal. At a recent press conference DSE President Nobuyuki Sakakibara denied involvement with the Yakuza saying that if it were true he would have already been arrested. You can read the latest info here. [...]