|
|
Article: Sport's fighting chance; New league for mixed martial arts signs big deals, seeks legitimacy.(News)(International Fight League)
- Article from:
- Crain's New York Business
- Article date:
- January 29, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 Crain Communications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Byline: Matthew Flamm
The blood-spattered world of mixed martial arts, in which kickboxing wrestlers face off against jujitsu-trained boxers, is taking another step toward the mainstream.
Last week, Manhattan-based International Fight League struck an exclusive deal with Warner Home Video, the same company that puts out DVDs from the National Football League and the National Basketball Association.
That deal came days after the IFL announced that its first full season will be carried by the Fox Sports cable network, starting next month. As part of a related deal with Fox's fledgling MyNetwork TV, the league's dozen teams and 60 fighters will ...