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K-1 in Japanese media: Everything is fine for Dynamite
By Zach Arnold | May 24, 2007
By Zach Arnold
If you want to see an article full of spin (I can’t do it justice unless you read Japanese), check out this Yomiuri Hochi article on the upcoming K-1 Dynamite show. Remember, this is the kind of information that Japanese fans are reading and not North American fans. The article claims the following:
- K-1 has spent 360 million yen in advertising to attract 100,000 fans at the LA Coliseum. FEG has spent $3 million USD, which rivals what they would spend for a Tokyo Dome show.
- The aim is to attract many fans from the large Korean population in Southern California, including outsourcing advertising to a local Korean PR firm. The advertising strategy? Use ‘rapping tracks.’
- There is no mention whatsoever of any K-1 problems with the California State Athletic Commission, including zero mention of Choi Hong-Man failing his medical test. K-1 is aiming to draw significantly more than what PRIDE drew at the Thomas & Mack Center.
A shorter version of this spin was also written by Sports Nippon newspaper. So, clearly, this is the PR that K-1 is pumping out in the Japanese media regarding the event. The longer K-1 delays in telling the reality of the situation on the ground, the stronger the reaction will be from both Japanese fans and Tokyo Broadcasting System.
Update: Nikkan Sports is even worse with the spin doctoring, as they are bringing up WrestleMania 3 (March 1987 with Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant at the Pontiac Silverdome) as a benchmark for K-1 to aim for with the LA Coliseum event.
Topics: HERO's, Japan, K-1, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 8 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Do any site visitors live in the area? I would love to know what this advertising looks like. They sure are all over the MMA-websites, which is pretty usueless when those are the places promoting the event for free anyway.
Would TBS pull the plug with Choi out even if Saku by some stroke of magic gets cleared?
This is all fucking shady. Anyways… we’ll see what happens!
Unsubstantiated rumour is that Choi was cleared by two other doctors and K1 is in negotiations with CSAC to have him cleared. Sakuraba’s MRI was clear but there was some kind of issue with his heart that is being looked into tommorow.
I’m in LA and the only advertising I’ve seen is on major MMA sites. Flash banners with really really really bad graphics. Once a Japanese promotion leaves Japan, it melts. i”ve seen no billboard advertising at all. I dont think they are promoting this show in reality here. Those internet banners may have cost them 100$ or less and were probably outsourced to some highschooler.
I’m just happy to hear his MRI is in good shape. Seems like that rumored bloodflow issue isn’t a major concern. At worst then, they discovered a small heart murmur or something of that nature. Might still be enough to keep him off the card, but at least he’s not in the horrible shape some of us feared.
Anyone have a prediction for how many tickets they will sell? I’m guessing 6000..
David,
1500 tickets sold.
Zach, this is a great idea for a poll; How many tickets will be SOLD for K-1. I’m guessing, assuming the show actually ‘goes off’, 3500- without Hong Man Choi, and 9000-with Choi on the card. This could be like the ‘The Price is Right’.