For further information:
Louise Zayed
Senior Press Officer
Tel: +353 1 419 3428
louise.zayed@tv3.ie
Kevin Shore
Press Officer
Tel: +353 1 419 3387
kevin.shore@virginmedia.ie
publicity@tv3.ie
TV3 GROUP RELEASE
IMMEDIATE: Friday 18th July, 2014.
Garry Cook says UFC fighters don’t need to be babied like footballers.
The former CEO of Manchester City tells Ireland AM’s Anton Savage how Ireland is a crucial market for UFC and how he is proud that 3e and TV3 are its television partners.
He also tells Ireland AM that a UFC workout programme at a London gym is 80 per cent occupied by females.
Cook describes that when the new owners took charge, their main aim was safety and how UFC is now not as violent as people think.
Ireland AM airs Monday to Friday from 7am – 10.00am on TV3.
Click here to watch the full interview on 3Player
Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Europe, Middle East and Africa for the UFC, Garry Cook appeared on Ireland AM this morning telling Anton Savage about plans to expand the UFC. The former CEO of Manchester City also revealed that although it was a great time in his life, UFC athletes do not need to be babied like footballers do.
“Well they're very different; I think you look at the background. First of all, I use a claim which I think sums it up really, these guys [UFC] are fighting for a living. Footballers have a very different background. From a very early age they have everything taken away from them because they have to develop their own football skills. You know 64 per cent of our athletes [UFC] have a college degree.”
Garry tells Anton how Ireland is an extremely important market for UFC and how he is proud that 3e and TV3 are its television partners:
“Ireland is a really important market to us globally but I think it’s about making sure you have the right television partners and we're very fortunate to be working with you guys (TV3/3e) this weekend and that really makes us very proud. You've got to be able to create content and television product that people want to see – stories, back stories so we're now developing more fighters and we're seeing it with Conor McGregor. What a wonderful story, boy from Ireland, carries the flag around the world, those are wonderful athletic elements and ideally our commercial partners in Europe begin to grow.”
Garry also reveals how UFC is not strictly for young men and how an astonishing 80 per cent of women make up a UFC workout class in London:
“I really believe that the core essence of the sport is it's about combat and it’s about competition but what we're finding is that the brand itself UFC can extend way beyond that. We're operating 140 gyms around the world and we'll continue to open gyms. We've got a programme in London where the UFC workout is a programme in a gym in London, it's 80 per cent occupied by females.”
Garry states that when the owners took charge they set about ensuring that safety was their primary objective and how UFC is not as violent as people think:
“I think that the baggage that we carry with us every day is the history and the heritage and we can't take that away. You have to do those, you have to move forward and in 2002 when the owners took charge, the Fertitta brothers, and Dana White, they set about, you know, the true primary objective was safety. We have one of the most robust safety and medical mechanisms there is. We test for drugs post and pre events. We have certain medical restrictions that the fighters have to adhere to and ironically any injuries, we keep them out of competition for six months so these aren't guys who are fighting every weekend. They might fight twice a year, they might fight three times a year.”
.
Ireland AM airs Monday to Friday from 7am – 10.00am on TV3.
Images have been sent to your picture desks.
ENDS
For further information
Ciara Byrne – Press Officer – 01 419 3329/087 319 9732
Jean O’Donovan – Press & Publicity Assistant – 01 419 3428
Sharon McHugh – Head of Press & Publicity – 087 922 4143
Follow TV3
Follow us on Twitter: @TV3Ireland
Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TVThreeIreland
Follow us on Youtube: www.youtube.com/TV3Group
Virgin Media Television launches its Spring TV Schedule
Monday 23rd, 17:13pm
The World TV Premiere of ?Cardboard Gangsters?, Brand New Christmas Specials and Family Movie Fav
Wednesday 13th, 15:52pm
TV3 announces presentation team and panel for its coverage of the NatWest Six Nations 2018
Tuesday 12th, 16:49pm
?Quote Devil Insurance? Renews Sponsorship of Virgin Media Television Weather
Monday 15th, 17:15pm
TV3 Group to rebrand as Virgin Media Television
Thursday 28th, 13:10pm
Virgin Media and TV3 secure rights to all UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League matches
Tuesday 15th, 11:12am