Ed Fishman will Pride FC kaufen!!!

[Nefercheperur]

Laut einem MMAWeekly Artikel befindet sich Ed Fishman in Verhandlungen um Pride FC kaufen. Fishman ist bereits Pride FC USA President, weil er ein grosser Investor ist, jedoch will Fishman nun reagieren und Pride zurueck an die Spitze fuehren. Die Verhandlungen zwischen Pride FC und Fishman sind schon weit fortgeschritten, auch wenn noch nichts beschlossen wurde.

Nun werden sich viele von euch fragen Ed Fishman, Who? Macht eure Brieftasche auf, und zieht eure Poker Karte heraus wenn ihr eine habt. Ed Fishman hat sie erfunden! Wart ihr jemals in einem Casino und habt an einer Slot Machine mit einer Kredit Karte bezahlt? Das war Ed`s Idee. Die Poker Tournament`s die man im Fernsehen sieht, sind ebenfalls eine Idee von Ed, und Ed Fishman war es auch der die ersten Blackjack Turniere in den 70er Jahren organisierte. Kurzum Ed Fishman hat mit seiner Firma “Players Club International“ (die er mittlerweile verkauft hat fuer $500 Millionen) das heutige Gluecksspiel revolutioniert.


Eigene Anmerkung: Fishman als Kaeufer von Pride FC waere interessant, und zummindest viel besser als Zuffa. Zum einen denke ich das Fishman in der Lage waere Pride FC in den USA zu etablieren, etwas was ich DSE nie zutrauen werde. Andererseits glaube ich das Fishman sich von Japan loesen wuerde, und wenn sich kein Erfolg einstellen wuerde, dann schnell Pride verkaufen wuerde.

[Nefercheperur]

“I WANT TO BUY PRIDE,” SAYS FISHMAN
By Loretta Hunt

Gaming industry and entertainment entrepreneur Ed Fishman announced today that he is throwing his hat in the ring – the combative ring that is. Fishman confirmed his intentions to facilitate the purchase of either part or the whole of the Japanese super promotion PRIDE Fighting Championships from its owners Dream Stage Entertainment.

Fishman, who was appointed president of PRIDE USA this past summer, says he has recently met with Dream Stage’s CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara regarding the company’s changing of hands. Fishman says it is his understanding Sakakibara is the majority owner of the world talent-laden fight promotion. (Currently in Japan, Sakakibara was unreachable for comment today.)

“I hope I get the chance to buy PRIDE,” Fishman told The Fight Network this afternoon. “Since I saw it four years ago, I have discussed with Nobu [Sakakibara] about buying it, but nothing has been concluded yet.”

Since its introduction in 1997, PRIDE has become one of the mainstays of Japan’s lucrative combat sports and entertainment industry, recognized for discovering and nurturing some of the greatest mixed martial artists in the world, including world-ranked number-one Russian heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko (25-1).

In June 2006, however, the promotion took a significant blow, when broadcast television giant Fuji TV dropped PRIDE from its programming under scrutiny the promotion had ties to the Japanese mafia Yakuza.

The cancelled contract cost PRIDE untold millions of dollars in advertising revenue alone, and the company has been unable to secure a fresh TV deal in its native land yet, leading to speculation it will not be able to bankroll its hefty payroll of world-class fighters nor its elaborate production costs for the duration.

In recent months, it has become apparent PRIDE would need an alternative source of income to continue, or it might be forced to sell. Fishman brings a loaded arsenal to the negotiations table.

In the thriving casino gaming industry, Fishman’s accomplishments have included the introduction of the slot machine club card; the casino credit card cash machine; riverboat casinos; and the World Blackjack Championships, an invention that would become a popular attraction utilized by casinos worldwide.

Under his partnership with Merv Griffin and his Players Club International, Fishman facilitated the construction of five casinos and helped revolutionize the casino comps system. His slot machine design company Global Gaming produces units in six different languages. Fishman still owns a casino in Moscow, Russia as well.

Over the last thirty years, Fishman has produced various TV game shows, including “Dealer’s Choice,” which taped out of Las Vegas. With partner Dick Clark, Fishman owns a concert company filtering entertainers out through the casino circuit and was once granted the UK rights to the Krispy Kreme donuts empire.

With his PRIDE assignment late last summer, Fishman was instrumental in the promotion’s October 21 U.S. debut in Las Vegas. A past owner on the Sin City casino circuit, Fishman negotiated PRIDE's relations with host hotel Caesars, as well as other sponsoring hotels and casinos. Fishman says he will continue to oversee the choice of venues PRIDE selects for all its U.S. dates and is also in negotiations for two separate PRIDE-driven TV programs on behalf of the organization. Fishman and the PRIDE organization are currently preparing for its second event, PRIDE 33’s “The Second Coming,” Feb. 24 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Though Fishman confirmed he has no ownership in PRIDE or PRIDE USA, his relationship to the Japanese promotion suggests his potential purchase won’t take it too far out of its current owner’s sights.

“I can’t go into options or other things that I have , but I can tell you I have, say, a five-year solid deal that gives me certain benefits,” Fishman shared of his current business dealings with the company.

If Fishman were able to strike a deal, he said he would like to keep both Sakakibara and his existing staff on board in some manner.

“We’re not that far along to have discussed it,” he said. “I think that partners, absolutely, that could be first. I still think that probably in Japan, it would be better for somebody else to lead. Over here, I don’t think it makes a difference.”

In Japan, with himself at the helm, Fishman believes he will be able to return PRIDE to its former TV glory.

“I have done business in one of my other merchandising companies across Asia for the last 28 years,” Fishman said. “We have very strong contacts and I feel that with new ownership, we’ll get the television and the sponsorships and everybody coming back. I think when all the gossip clears away and with my reputation and financial ability, it will get it back on track.”

In the United States, Fishman’s predictions are even more ambitious.

“I believe in a year or two, we could really take over the United States, or at least give the fans two options,” he said. “I believe if I were lucky enough to acquire PRIDE, I would actually want to find out for the world who has the best fighters, and I would challenge and have our heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko, and our champion Wanderlei Silva, and our champion Dan Henderson, and our lightweight champion [Takanori] Gomi; I would challenge our champions in those four division to the champions of the UFC - even with a winner take all.”

Fishman’s admission today brings to light a swirl of rumors surrounding the promotion’s uncertain future. Zuffa LLC., the owners of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, have been continuously mentioned as vying for the rival organization. Just weeks ago, Dream Stage CEO Sakakibara told Sherdog.com he was not interested in selling PRIDE to any buyer.

“I think he’s [Sakakibara’s] serious, but I wouldn’t be surprised if all of a sudden he changed his mind,” Fishman laughed. “However, in our last conversation this past week he was very serious and we have just started talking about it. I am ready to go full force if he is.”

Fishman acknowledged Zuffa LLC. is also in line for PRIDE as well, but was unaware what stage of negotiations the two promotions are at.

“I think there are only two potential buyers who have the money and the resources,” Fishman said. “That is the UFC and myself. I can tell you nothing’s been signed.”

http://www.thefightnetwork.com/news_detail.php?nid=3203