In what may come as a big boost to sports management firm Percept and production house Bull Dog Entertainment, their recently announced reality action boxing series The Contender — featuring Olympic bronze medalist Vijender Singh — will still be produced, despite the legal row with Singh’s sports management firm, Infinity Optimal Solutions (IOS).
IOS, the Delhi-based sports management firm handling Singh since 2005, had obtained a stay order from the Delhi High Court recently, restraining the ace boxer from entering into any commercial activity with Percept or any other entity.
However, all parties involved — IOS, Percept, Bull Dog Entertainment (the rights holder for The Contender and Vijender Singh — are likely to resolve the matter, sources close to the development said.
IOS took legal recourse after Bull Dog Entertainment and Percept Talent Management (PTM) announced the launch of The Contender boxing series featuring Vijender Singh as its anchor, without involving the IOS.
After this, IOS went to the Delhi High Court, alleging a breach of contract by Singh. To make matters worse for the world No 2 boxer, PTM had announced a multi-crore image management contract with Singh that would make him one of the richest non-cricket sportsperson in the country. But this, too, happened without the involvement of IOS.
“The series is on for sure. Whatever legal issues exist are between Singh and IOS, we are going ahead with the show. It is in the pre-production stage now. We should launch it in early 2010 or post-IPL next year,” Bull Dog Entertainment Vice-Chairman and MD Akash Sharma told Business Standard.
Percept Joint MD Shailender Singh also confirmed that The Contender will become a reality, as all parties involved will be able to resolve the matter amicably.
Commenting on the issue, IOS CEO Neerav Tomar said: “Any TV exposure is a big opportunity for Singh as a boxer. We may consider his involvement with any such show if the parties involved approach me in the right manner.”
However, sources in the celebrity endorsement business say that if Singh goes to the court challenging the stay imposed on his commercial activity, he may get all the sympathy, as he stands to earn far more money and a bigger brand image with his deal with Percept and Bull Dog Entertainment, as opposed to what IOS has got for him so far.
According to sources, Singh was making Rs 30-50 lakh in endorsements before the deal. However, after his pact with Percept and Bull Dog Entertainment, Singh would make anywhere over Rs 2 crore a year — the most by a non-cricketer after tennis star Sania Mirza, who makes around Rs 8-9 crore annually.
IOS, which has a 10-year contract with Singh till 2015, got the boxer endorsement deals like the ones with Bajaj Allianz, Pepsi, etc. It also set up TV appearances with Salman Khan, Priyanka Chopra and Mallika Sherawat, among others, including a ramp show with Rohit Bal.
