Fighters Only Magazine has announced the signing of a new distribution deal with Time Warner that will help expand the magazine’s presence throughout its UK and North American markets.
New York, NY (USA) – Fighters Only Magazine, the world’s biggest Mixed Martial Arts magazine, is set to dramatically expand its readership by signing an exclusive distribution deal with media powerhouse Time Warner. The partnership will allow Fighters Only to be represented at retail by a major force within the publishing industry. Time Warner Retail currently handles such titles as People Magazine, Sports Illustrated, Fortune and Time Magazine.
“We have found our home in Time Warner, alongside some of the biggest and best known magazines in the world” said Rob Hewitt President and CEO. “Fighters Only will benefit greatly from a powerful partner who will be able to fast track our publication into the hands of MMA fans everywhere by making sure it is seen and available for sale where others are not. Gone are the days we when had to batter down doors of retailers to get them to accept our product and its subject matter. This partnership is arguably one of the defining moments of our company’s history to date and will give us the ability to spread the word of MMA to a far greater audience.”
Dale Oehler, Senior Vice President of Time Warner Retail said, “Fighters Only is a quality publication of the highest standards and MMA is a sport on the ascendancy. Time Warner Retail is both proud and excited to enter into the combat sports arena with a company so dedicated to its product and more so the sport it represents. The passion of the Publisher has been infectious, so much so that our whole team are now fans of MMA! ”
Payout Perspective:
This is obviously great news for Fighters Only Magazine, especially after there was some concern earlier this year that MMA magazines were facing increasing financial pressure as the result of the slow decline of the print media industry (e.g., MMA Ultd). Not the case with Fighters Only.
The magazine held a very popular awards show in Las Vegas last year and just launched domestic versions of the magazine in the U.S., Canada, Germany, and South Africa last year.
I hear Fighters Only is in deep water financially over in Germany. Their June issue may very well be their last one.