MUMBAI: Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) has appointed London-based media rights agency, RDA TV, to exclusively distribute its television rights on a global basis in a three year agreement, excluding the US.
The Nashville-headquartered TNA Entertainment has a six-sided ring and high-flying action. In India viewers can catch TNA action on Star Sports. RDA will be marketing TNA at Mipcom.
TNA has stars like Kurt Angle, Sting and Christian Cage, as well as hot new talent like A.J. Styles, Samoa Joe and “Black Machismo” Jay Lethal. TNA’s weekly flagship programme, TNA Impact, airs on Spike TV in the US with TNA also producing a monthly PPV event and associated programming.
RDA TV, whose clients include Real Madrid Television and Traffic Sports Marketing (Copa America, Brazil World Cup Qualifiers), has a strong track record in identifying and maximizing the potential of ‘next generation’ media rights.
RDA has worked with Ultimate Fighting Championship since 2001, during which time UFC has emerged as a major powerhouse in sports programming and PPV. RDA was responsible securing UFC distribution deals in UK (Sky Sports, Bravo, Setanta Sports), Australia (Fox Sports), Sweden (TV4), New Zealand (Sky) and Italy (FX).
TNA Entertainment president Dixie Carter says, “We are thrilled to continue our relationship with RDA as we work together to bring the most exciting professional wrestling in the world today to fans across the globe. RDA will in crease our presence with broadcasters on a global basis.”
RDA TV MD Richard Dennis said, “TNA already has a strong cult following in US, UK and in parts of Asia, and this brand has tremendous potential for worldwide growth. Consumer interest in MMA and wrestling programming has grown massively in the last decade, and we strongly feel that TNA appeals directly to a new generation of wrestling fans that will prove very successful for broadcasters.”
RDA’s first successful distribution agreements for TNA in the UK have been an 18 month agreement with Bravo for PAY-tv rights, and VOD deal with BT Vision. TNA’s existing distribution agreements include ESPN Star Sports and Star World (Asia), Fox Sports Middle East, SuperSport (Africa), Sky (New Zealand) and Main Event (Australia).
