AHDI and IFL Team up in Knock out Deal as Haber is Named Exclusive International Distributor for International Fight League (IFL), the World�s First Team-Based Mixed Martial Arts League
Company to Offer �IFL Fight Night� (22 One- Hours) and �IFL Battleground� (22 Two-Hours)
PALISADES PARK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Scoring a major knockout, Alfred Haber Distribution, Inc. (AHDI) has teamed up with the International Fight League� (IFL), the world�s first team-based professional league of the fastest growing sport in the world today, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), to be the exclusive international distributor (excluding Latin America and the Middle East) of the IFL�s two new series, IFL FIGHT NIGHT and IFL BATTLEGROUND. Alfred Haber, founder of AHDI, and Gareb Shamus, CEO of the IFL, made the announcement jointly today.
Capitalizing on the growing worldwide popularity of Mixed Martial Arts, the IFL is making the sport more mainstream by moving from the cage to an oversized boxing ring, while also taking out many of the moves that emphasized blood over strategy and athleticism. The result has been the production of two series, one for primetime and one late night for television. IFL FIGHT NIGHT, 22 x one-hour late night event programs showcasing five fights between two teams, premiered February 23rd in the U.S. and is airing on the FOX Sports Network (FSN). IFL BATTLEGROUND, 22 two-hour programs, is an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the IFL with action footage of the MMA�s rising stars and their world champion coaches. The series also includes event action, highlights, and vignettes, and will air primetime in the U.S. on MyNetworkTV starting March 12th.
The IFL, co-founded by Gareb Shamus and Kurt Otto, is comprised of 12 teams, 10 of which are based in the United States (New York, Seattle, Chicago, Los Angeles, Tucson, Portland, San Jose, Reno, Orange County and the Quad Cities), along with teams in Tokyo and Toronto. MMA is an intense and strategic sport in which athletes use many forms of fighting including karate, judo, jiu-jitsu, boxing, tae kwon do, wrestling and other disciplines.
�Over the last few years, the growth rate of the MMA has been nothing less than phenomenal,� commented Haber. �With the IFL coming on the scene at this juncture, with its team based format, the FSN combat series and the primetime network �Battleground� presentation, it all combines to create explosive television for broadcasters around the world. This is a tremendous opportunity to grow the audience from the original limited mainstream exposure.�
�This is another great step forward for both the IFL and for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts,� said IFL co-founder and CEO Shamus. �MMA is growing very quickly worldwide, and partnering with AHDI will help us present the sport and our model to the widest possible audience.�
About Alfred Haber Distribution, Inc.
ALFRED HABER, INC. and ALFRED HABER DISTRIBUTION, INC., established 39 years ago, together form the world's largest distributor of U.S. Network (CBS, ABC, NBC and FOX) reality, music and event specials, and are major independent distributors of reality and documentary series, mini-series and made-for-television motion pictures for the U.S. and the international television marketplace. More information is available at www.alfredhaber.com.
About International Fight League
Founded in 2005 by Gareb Shamus, chairman of Wizard Entertainment Group, and Kurt Otto, a real estate investor and a life-long martial arts participant, the International Fight League, Inc. (OTCBB:IFLI), was created to establish a centralized and structured organization that brings the power and influence of the mixed martial arts industry together. IFL has its headquarters in New York, NY and offices in Las Vegas, NV. For more information about IFL, please visit www.ifl.tv.
Forward-Looking Statements: This release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to various risks and IFL�s management's expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future financial condition, and results of operations. There can be no assurance that future developments actually affecting IFL will be those anticipated, including without limitation, whether one or more of the proposed teams will actually enter into definitive agreements with the IFL and become IFL teams.
Important factors that could cause actual results to differ (favorably or unfavorably) from the expectations stated in this release include the risks and uncertainties such as executing definitive agreements with the coaches and players of the proposed teams; the conditions of the markets for live events, broadcast television, cable television, pay-per-view, Internet, entertainment, professional sports; uncertainties associated with international markets; risks relating to maintaining and renewing key agreements, including television distribution agreements. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of the Company�s assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements.
IFL undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. This press release may include the opinions of IFL and does not necessarily include the views of any other person or entity.
The names of all International Fight League, Inc. televised and live programming, teams, images, and logos are trademarks, which are the exclusive property of International Fight League, Inc. All other trademarks and tradenames mentioned in this release are the property of their respective owners, and are not affiliated with IFL in any way.
|