Bally’s Corporation (NYSE: BALY), 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., today 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.