Hey Norm I have taken everything you have said and I dont have a comment to make about them I thank you for your words of encouragement as i gives one hope in their ultimate goal. As a businessman I want to make money and to be honest there are alot more things that I could do along with making more money and less headaches. There is bugger all money in this business unless you have alot of corporate sponsors behind but that takes time to build. I suppose the good thing is that we have retained the support of Television in which K-1 has lost. Not to our doing more to the networks annoyance of having the goalposts shifted. In saying that if we didnt build the brand here they would never have loked at it. I always said to K-1 heads that you cannot replicate the success of their model in Japan in other territories. TVNZ paid more money for K-1 products than Eurosport who service 52 countries (figure that out) in fact the money K-1 demands from TV in New Zealand is more than what NZ Tv networks pay for Wimbledon or event their Olympic coverage (figure that out)
Why because ratings sell across the board. K-1 rated on TVNZ and was consistent. Its just now they want more and TV had said no. Our new deal with SKY increases our value, why because its live. The more sponsorship we develop the more money fighters get as per their calibre. Not to mention that it allows us to invite higher quality fighters to our events, of course if they are not contracted to K-1.
K-1 are very good at using fighters for their benefit. So lets anaylise a few of them.
Jason Suttie History not for this forum yet they use him in the Australian and New Zealand Grand Prix's but never invited to other K-1 events. Their opinion not interested.
Andrew Peck Great introduction in 2000 baut fails to deliver in Oceania (no dis respect meant Andrew)Its very hard to turn K-1's heads around for a second look unless they are really interested in a specific individual from day 1
Remy is a prime example.
Doug Viney great 2001 and 2002 year but is unsuccessful in 2003. his opponent who defeated him twice in that year Gordan Jukic gets a shot in Japan who is then defeated by Mike McDonald and we never see him again.
Peter Graham Political difficulties surrounded him for years to get a call back but now he is there, prior to that we were the only ones giving him fights throughout 2004,2005,2006.
We even had a hard time getting Jordan back there from his inaugral appearance in 2004, but they key factor in return in Japan is his connection with Ray.
JWP rated probably the greatest fighter in his class from the Oceania region is also not liked by K-1 because they think he is not saleable enough. (figure that out)I have said it before K-1's match making to the dislike of many has another agenda and its about keeping the exsisting stars or developing new ones in the world of Sports Entertainment. Shit I could write a whole book of this stuff.
Look at the bigger picture