BEIJING, Aug. 5 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Xinhua Sports & Entertainment Limited ("XSEL" or the "Company"; Nasdaq: XSEL), a leading sports and entertainment media company in China, today announced that it has secured the rights to distribute the first annual 2009 Freestyle Fighting ("Wushu San Da" in Mandarin) Tournament organized by the Chinese Kung Fu Association ("CKA"). XSEL is planning to bring this thrilling freestyle martial arts tournament to Chinese viewers via nationwide television, internet and mobile phone platforms in China.
The Chinese Kung Fu Association ("CKA") is the official professional martial arts league established in 2009 and is China's first and, presently, only professional martial arts organization. Devoted to showcasing freestyle fighting competitions in five weight classes, CKA is a national level martial arts organization endorsed by the Wushu Management of the General Administration of Sports of China and the Chinese Wushu Association.
"XSEL is again leading the way in the Chinese sports entertainment media sector by being the first to bring the excitement of the country's first professional freestyle martial arts tournament to audiences nationwide," said Ms. Fredy Bush, CEO of XSEL. "Our mission at XSEL is not merely to provide viewers the best range of quality professional sports competitions and entertainment from overseas, but also to develop the best professional domestic competitions and content in China."
The CKA Freestyle Fighting Tournament is presently available every week on TV nationwide via NMTV, a nationwide free-to-air satellite television station in China that reaches a potential audience of approximately 250 million viewers in 35 major Chinese cities. The CKA Freestyle Fighting Tournament is broadcasted as a segment of NMTV's highly popular Fight Weekend TV program, which airs every Saturday and Sunday from 2:00PM - 5:00PM. Ninety minutes of the three hour TV program are currently dedicated to the CKA Freestyle Fighting Tournament.
In the first three months after its launch, the ratings and market share of Fight Weekend have increased by 91% and 124% respectively with the program being consistently ranked among the top three weekend programs on NMTV. According to surveys conducted by a research company in China, the main audience of Fight Weekend consists of males at 71.3% and viewers ranging from 35-65 years old. The survey also indicated that a large portion of Fight Weekend viewers have received a higher education.
Fight Weekend, launched in April of this year, is China's first comprehensive TV program dedicated to showcasing international fight competitions and martial arts. It currently features numerous types of martial arts and combat sports from around the world, such as Boxing, Karate, Judo, Sumo Wrestling, Taekwondo and Kung Fu. Through introduction by XSEL, NMTV also recently began broadcasting Ultimate Fighting Championships(TM) ("UFC"), the internationally renowned mixed martial arts competition.
For more information:
Media Contact
Joy Tsang, XSEL
Tel: +86-10-8567-6050
+86-136-2179-1577
Email: joy.tsang@xsel.com
IR Contact
Edward Liu, XSEL
Tel: +86-10-8567-6061
+86-139-1610-1635
Email: edward.liu@xsel.com
Howard Gostfrand, American Capital Ventures
Tel: +1-305-918-7000
Toll free: +1-877-918-0774
Email: info@amcapventures.com
About XSEL
Xinhua Sports & Entertainment Limited ("XSEL"; NASDAQ: XSEL) is a leading sports and entertainment media company in China. Catering to a vast audience of young and upwardly mobile consumers, XSEL is well-positioned in China with its unique content and access. Through its key international partnerships, XSEL is able to offer its target audience the content they demand - premium sports and quality entertainment. Through its Chinese partnerships, XSEL is able to deliver this content across a broad range of platforms, including television, the Internet, mobile phones and other multimedia assets in China. Along with its integrated advertising resources, XSEL offers a total solution empowering clients at every stage of the media process linking advertisers with China's young and upwardly mobile demographic.
Headquartered in Beijing, the company employs more than 1,200 people and has offices and affiliates in major cities throughout China including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Xinhua Sports & Entertainment Limited shares are listed on the NASDAQ Global Market (NASDAQ: XSEL). For more information, please visit http://www.xsel.com .
Safe Harbor Statement
This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "confident" and similar statements. Among other things, any quotations from management in this announcement contain forward-looking statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about XSEL's beliefs and expectations are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks outlined in XSEL's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 20-F. All information provided in this press release is as of the date hereof, and XSEL undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.
