K-1 and Dynamite!! Sold to Japanese Company

by Fraser Coffeen on Jul 28, 2011 5:00 PM EDT in Kickboxing

It's been a long time coming. After a very tumultuous first half of 2011, K-1 has officially been sold. The rights to the K-1 brand have been purchased by Japanese real estate company Barbizon Co. Ltd. Details are still emerging, but it appears that Barbizon now owns the rights for events under the banner of K-1 including the Grand Prix, as well as the annual New Year's Eve show Dynamite!!.

Some of the other brands associated with K-1 were not included in the sale: Dream remains business as usual, while K-1 Koshien (their youth league) is now associated with one of their sponsors - Fields. Not mentioned in the deal in any way was K-1 MAX, which is the only K-1 brand to have actually produced a show in 2011. That brand seems to remain partially controlled by Japanese broadcast company TBS.

2011 has been a bad year for the long-standing company. After wrapping up the 2010 Grand Prix, stories quickly began surfacing of fighters owed significant amounts of money. Plans and press conferences were announced, then cancelled, with the last six months amounting to many promises of big things to come, but only one small K-1 MAX show actually taking place. Many insiders, including fighters and K-1 management, have stated that the company could not continue without a significant change, and that is exactly what has now happened.

This sale is huge news in the world of kickboxing, as K-1 has been the dominant name in the sport for almost 20 years. But without many details regarding the new owners yet going public, it's hard to speculate on how this will impact the sport. Will Barbizon look to continue producing shows using the same general format as K-1, or will they attempt a totally new model?

From all reports, what does seem clear is this - K-1 is not suddenly going to become a real estate company. It's likely that Barbizon is working with other investors who will be handling more of the actual operation of the new K-1. Who are those investors? For the moment, we'll have to wait and see.

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How is a company with $6,200,000 in capital and 35 employees going to run the world’s largest kickboxing promotion long term?

http://unintelligentdefense.blogspot.com

by MattParker117 on Jul 28, 2011 5:21 PM EDT reply actions

By hiring someone else to do it?

by Rufford on Jul 28, 2011 5:28 PM EDT up reply actions

They will have to charge those modeling students more

Life is hard....get a fucking helmet.

by Skoobs on Jul 28, 2011 5:29 PM EDT up reply actions

hahahaha.

Nice I’m not the only person who made that connection.

by The Hamburger Pimp on Jul 28, 2011 7:19 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Like Control Data Institute, Larry Parker, and the Candice Bergen commercials.

Life is hard....get a fucking helmet.

by Skoobs on Jul 29, 2011 12:38 AM EDT up reply actions

By a little organization called

the Yakuza. They’ll be more then happy to add capital and manpower in exchange for percentages.

I wouldn’t be shocked if they aren’t the puppet owners of this company as it is. The Yakuza’s taken over an even larger chunk of Japan due to the disaster. They spearheaded the rebuilding efforts, while sliding themselves into even more fortified political business positions. They’re clever bastards.

by Hawk52 on Jul 28, 2011 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions

From their company profile

It says they are located out of Minato-ward. In other words, Roppongi Hills, a place well-known for its Yakuza ties.

http://www.barbizon.co.jp/company_profile/

by chucharro on Jul 29, 2011 1:07 AM EDT up reply actions

oddly enough a company with $0 in capital was about to run it for a while just fine

by nastyem on Jul 28, 2011 6:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Will fighters actually get paid now?

by Dangit! on Jul 28, 2011 5:48 PM EDT reply actions

They will try to reorganize their terrestrial TV rights in Japan first and foremost. K-1 on Fuji TV might still be possible.

by smoogy2 on Jul 28, 2011 5:49 PM EDT reply actions

It is what it is.

I don’t doubt that the Yakuza were a factor in K-1’s last few years with all their financial issues. They were running events designed to bleed money that they didn’t have. It was coming from somewhere. But now there’s no question in the Yakuza’s involvement.

It’ll be interesting to see how the TV Networks in Japan handle this. If a major TV network gets behind K-1 again, put effort and money into promotion the business could revive. But if it’s still considered some kind of tainted, they’ll be lucky if they get late night abbreviated airings if any TV at all.

It’s a question of morality for fight fans now. I know some MMA experts (Zach Arnold for instance) take a hardline stance on this issue, but can you as a fan enjoy high production events knowing the money is coming from blood money?

by Hawk52 on Jul 28, 2011 5:51 PM EDT reply actions

Can watch your television, use your computer, games console, phone knowing that part of the profits go to grinning congolese warlords wearing a tunic of human skin?

http://unintelligentdefense.blogspot.com

by MattParker117 on Jul 28, 2011 5:59 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs