Banijay Rights and TBS have expanded their Ninja Warrior alliance beyond the format-licensing deal announced last October, with the distribution powerhouse now taking on finished-program sales for the sports entertainment franchise.
Simon Cox, EVP for content and acquisitions at Banijay Rights, who brokered the deal, noted, “After taking on the format rights last year, it felt only right to go the whole course. We’re thrilled to now add the finished tape rights of Ninja Warrior to the Banijay Rights catalog. One of the most iconic and enduring entertainment brands in the world, few shows combine excitement, heart and sheer spectacle in quite the same way, and we’re looking forward to bringing all the unforgettable triumphs, near misses and jaw-dropping moments that have made Ninja Warrior a global phenomenon to even more audiences around the world.”
Takumi Watanabe, director of global sales development at TBS, said, “Less than a year after licensing the format distribution rights for Ninja Warrior to Banijay Entertainment, the show has already returned to two countries. Next year marks the 30th anniversary of SASUKE, the original Japanese show on which Ninja Warrior is based. Together with Banijay Rights, we look forward to bringing the format to more countries, building on its global success, and ensuring it continues to delight audiences around the world for years to come.”
