HDNet purchase IFL video library and more for $650,000

by James Iannotti on Oct 31, 2008 12:22 AM EDT Comment 23 comments

The premium cable and satellite channel HDNet was cleared by The U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of New York on Tuesday to buy the remaining assets of the now extinct International Fight League (IFL) for a cool $650,000.

The finding was made public on Thursday through a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

If and when the Mark Cuban-owned network decides to finalize the purchase, it will own the entire library of video footage and all the rights that go with those for the complete history of the organization, as well as its Web site and any remaining television contracts that were left over.

HDNet has quickly become a hot spot for mixed martial arts footage on television. The only problem is that a lot of cable outlets don't provide the channel, which leaves a lot of MMA fans in the dark.

Perhaps continued popularity for the sport and more acquisitions like this for HDNet might lead to more cable companies offering it. One would hope at least.

Regardless, this was a real nice pick up for the fast rising network. There is some great footage in that library from some world class caliber fighters.

Ben Rothwell, Roy Nelson, Chris Horodecki, Jens Pulver, Renzo Gracie, Pat Miletich, Jeremy Horn, Matt Lindland, Robbie Lawler, Jens Pulver, Jeff Curran and plenty of other top fighters have competed on IFL cards in the past.

Whether or not it pays long-term dividends remains to be seen.

So from now on, the only place you can see those fights is on HDNet ... if you're among the relative few who are fortunate to get the channel, of course.

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Yeah if you dont got HDnet you definitely need to get it!

by Khaos_Warrior on Oct 31, 2008 12:32 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

This seems really pointless to me. It sounds similar to the sorts of things failed promotions have done (like EXC). Why burn through 650k for a video library that’s largely worthless?

by Ben! on Oct 31, 2008 12:46 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

because Cuban is a billionaire and his channel is already making profit.

by Bill Maher on Oct 31, 2008 8:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

pointless??

this library has some great fighters in it and

cuban is in mma now. owning rights to this footage just

plants him deeper in the business of mma.

and not to mention cuban owns tv channels dood.

he will be airing shows on his channel.

worthless??

wow~ how could you say that is worthless.

this isnt some purchase~

it is an investment.

and he got a great deal for it. 650k! wow~

royaltys dood!

fighters dont even have rights to their own footage.

unless your name is fedor.

there is alot of good fighters and fights that

cuban now has the rights to.

by ricky~dooby on Oct 31, 2008 9:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

if it’s not worthless, then it’s definetly not worth 650k! nobody watched it live, what the hell makes you think anyone is going to watch repeats of it? unless their drunk and dont know the difference. sure cuban can afford it easily, but just b/c he buys it does not automatically make it valuable. cuban is a shmuck!

by b.w. on Oct 31, 2008 11:44 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

whats next, bodog? lol!

by b.w. on Oct 31, 2008 11:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

bw~

im not saying it is a huge deal or anything.

i just think it is a good investment.

especially cause cuban is into mma now.

having something like this just helps him down the road

in so many ways.

650k is a lot of cash~ but

to a guy like cuban? it is pennys.

all i was saying is that is was a good investment on

behalf of mark cuban.

personally i didnt like the ifl.

and yes he should buy bodog as well.

by ricky~dooby on Oct 31, 2008 12:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i’ll agree that to that cuban can afford it easily, so i guess it does make it a good investment on their part (what do they have to lose? is probably more accurate).im still not sure about bodog, although they do have the vaunted fedor/lindland fight. :)

by b.w. on Oct 31, 2008 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I bet you anything he’ll buy Elite’s video library.

by NameNotRequired on Oct 31, 2008 10:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

and he should.

owning the rights to the womens fights alone

would be great if womens mma gets big.

but cbs probably owns that and

they sure as heck wont give it up!

by ricky~dooby on Oct 31, 2008 11:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

now elite’s video library is of value(unlike the ifl’s). they actually had some big name fighters and some young talent that could be huge names someday.

by b.w. on Oct 31, 2008 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

what a big waste of money for some dumpy ass videos – ugh

by salmonbum on Oct 31, 2008 1:20 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

They must have serious footage of Jens Pulver. He is mentioned twice on the list, lol.

by c-war on Oct 31, 2008 1:20 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Smart move by a guy that can afford it…

by THORAZINE on Oct 31, 2008 1:58 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Thats a bargain.

by RiverHorror on Oct 31, 2008 3:46 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

WHO CARESSSSSSS ! I had that channel and took it off It’s not like your missing anything GREAT. And yea I did like how it did mention jens pulver twice c-war LOL.

by Liddell-Marquardt-GSP-Sherk on Oct 31, 2008 11:02 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

And another thing, If It’s not UFC, I could really care less. Not saying I don’t love MMA, but the UFC is where It’s at and the only company I pay attention too. Just like with the NFL, NBA, or MLB, there maybe big name players in other organazitons, but I don’t care to watch or even hear about it.

by Liddell-Marquardt-GSP-Sherk on Oct 31, 2008 11:04 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs