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Oscar De La Hoya and Bally’s Corporation announce innovative combat sports deal

Bally’s Fight Night pilot represents initial step towards reimagining the presentation and developing the gamification of Combat Sports

Bally's Corporation, the premier, full-service, vertically integrated sports betting and iGaming company in the U.S., and Oscar de la Hoya's KO Entertainment, a subsidiary of the world's most elite boxing promotion company Golden Boy Promotions, Inc., on Wednesday announced the formation of a strategic relationship that aims to incorporate unparalleled innovation, objectivity and gamification into combat sports, thereby transforming fan engagement.

To unveil this initiative, the companies will broadcast a pilot of "Oscar de la Hoya's KO Entertainment Presents Bally's Fight Night" -- a reimagining of how the sports of boxing and mixed martial arts ("MMA") are presented, and the first development in the 2.0 gamification of combat sports.
Bally's Fight Night will feature five professional MMA and four professional boxing contests displayed in a video game type presentation. Utilizing sensors and a custom built data tracking dashboard, a variety of objective data points such as punch force, and punch combinations thrown and landed, will be captured in real time.
Through the use of sports science, the data will be conveyed in an on-screen power bar, similar to those displayed in video games, summarizing a fighter's total absorbed damage. By collecting, analyzing and integrating this data into future broadcasts, Bally's and KO Entertainment will offer unparalleled objectivity that will create a more rewarding and safer experience for fighters, while also increasing transparency.
To further enhance the gamification of combat sports and the viewing experience, Bally's intends to integrate Monkey Knife Fight, its daily fantasy sports platform, into live broadcasts.
Soo Kim, Chairman of Bally's Corporation's Board of Directors, said, "This partnership represents an extraordinary opportunity to bring together experts in gaming, media and combat sports to breathe new life into boxing and mixed martial arts.
"By integrating our innovative technology and interactive gaming platforms into combat sports, we will create new and transformative ways for audiences to engage with our live broadcasts. We look forward to unveiling the pilot of Bally's Fight Night, which represents just the beginning of this journey, and invite viewers to tune in for what should be an incredible night of entertainment."
Oscar de la Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, commented, "We have the utmost respect for the storied history and tradition of boxing and mixed martial arts.
"By partnering with Bally's, and working to develop this innovative product, we believe that we can deliver real-time, data-based insights into the punch-by-punch action, creating a level of transparency and objectivity that has never existed before. We will also provide an experience that is more easily understandable for the average viewer, and at the same time more rewarding and safer for fighters."
Bally's Fight Night will feature Mike Goldberg covering play-by-play, Frank Trigg as color commentator, and Holly Sonders as social host and reporter. Sonders will also provide fans with behind the scenes insight with fighters and trainers, facilitate fan interactions and present Monkey Knife Fight fantasy contests.

The "Bally's Fight Night" pilot will be broadcast on Stadium, the digital and over-the-air television network owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, on Wednesday, June 9, 2021 at 5:00pm ET/2:00pm PT. Fans interested in viewing Bally's Fight Night can access the broadcast via https://watchstadium.com/live/ballys-fight-night/ and https://watchstadium.com/live/ballys-fight-night-2/. They can also track the action by following #BallysFightNight on Twitter and @BallysFightNight on Instagram.

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