The World Karate Federation (WKF) has entered into an extensive agreement with US-based platform CSI Entertainment (Fight Sports Channel) to broadcast Karate’s premier events worldwide. This deal includes the television distribution of the 2023 Karate 1-Premier League events (Rabat, Fukuoka, and Dublin) and the 2023 World Senior Championships in Budapest. The agreement significantly expands the reach of Karate competitions, covering over 133 countries and territories across five continents.
This new agreement with CSI Entertainment elevates the distribution of Karate events, complementing the current broadcast of Karate in over 30 countries through networks such as RAI in Italy, SNRT in MENA (Middle East and North Africa), and TRT in Turkiye, among others. It also aids in overcoming the challenges posed by the exclusion of Karate from the sports program of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
CSI Entertainment, after a two-season hiatus, returns as one of WKF’s primary distribution partners, extending a collaboration of eight years. The resurgence of this partnership is bolstered by the growing global interest in Karate and the impressive viewership numbers from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Karate achieved a significant TV reach during the Games, with over 48 million spectators across 19 core markets. In the United States alone, over 53 million people expressed interest in the Karate event of the Games.
WKF President Antonio Espinós emphasized the federation’s commitment to improving the distribution of the sport on television and harnessing the global popularity of Karate. The development of the TV production of their events, enhancements in camera positioning, innovative graphic design, and the creation of new distribution products are part of their initiatives to elevate their TV distribution. The success of Karate during its Olympic debut in Tokyo 2020, both in terms of excitement and audience numbers, has affirmed their efforts. The president expressed his conviction that the new agreement with CSI Entertainment would further contribute to the remarkable progress of Karate around the world.