NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--fuboTV (OTCQB:FBNK), FaceBank Group, Floyd Mayweather and ONE Entertainment Group, LLC today announced a ground-breaking joint venture to create and manage the world-renowned retired professional boxing champion and promoter’s digital likeness, “Virtual Mayweather.”
The partnership was created to protect and exploit the brand name and likeness of Virtual Mayweather for multiple multi-media opportunities in current and future form content scenarios. Under the partnership, one of the projects that the companies intend to develop is virtual boxing matchups pitting Mayweather’s digital likeness against other boxing legends and icons. Resembling short films, these precise, real-time simulations will feature top-secret results based on a modeling computer that will make incremental relationships between actual performance, velocity of punches, speed of reaction, strategy and stamina. These unprecedented virtual boxing matches will be exclusive to live TV streaming platform fuboTV and pay-per-view partners to be announced.
FaceBank will work with Mayweather to research, capture and analyze photographic, filmed and mathematical representations of his face and body to develop a comprehensive and hyper-realistic, computer-generated ‘digital likeness’ for global and commercial applications. The company expects to announce similar agreements with other sports icons in the coming weeks.
“My team has always been the past, present and future of sports and entertainment," said Mayweather. "Now, together with FaceBank, fuboTV and ONE Entertainment, I am continuing that trend.”
Commented David Gandler, CEO, fuboTV: “Just last week, fuboTV and FaceBank closed our merger. With FaceBank’s tech-driven IP in sports, movies and live performances, and fuboTV’s direct-to-consumer live TV streaming platform for cord-cutters, we're already making strides towards building the kind of digital entertainment company we envisioned.”
Gandler continued: “Our joint venture with Floyd Mayweather and ONE Entertainment makes possible a few of the greatest fights of all time that never happened, that could have never happened...until now. Undefeated in the ring after so many years, Mayweather can now step up to compete in the hyper-realistic world of virtual competition, challenging the legends of boxing in hyper-real simulated boxing matches with outcomes that will be as surprising to the fighters as to a live global audience.”
Commented FaceBank founder John Textor: “If you think this is a video game, you’re wrong. This won’t look like anything you’ve ever seen on Xbox even in 4K. Our virtual championship boxing will showcase the talents and technology of the visual effects community, combined with the most respected of the military simulation community. Our aim is to build a visually stunning, championship-caliber bout that positively impacts the future of fight entertainment.”
“This is the time for evolved virtual entertainment and Floyd is the perfect subject for this revolutionary shift in entertainment, he fearlessly approaches new challenges and is never scared of the moment,” said Brent Johnson, Managing Partner and CEO, ONE Entertainment Group.
The undefeated Mayweather is one of boxing’s most popular champions and arguably the best ever and, not so arguably, the best boxer pound for pound of his generation. His 2015 fight against Manny Pacquiao generated over $595 million in revenue, and his cross-discipline fight against Connor MacGregor earned Mayweather a personal share of more than $275 million.
fuboTV’s new character-driven, virtual entertainment projects can be seen at www.FacebankGroup.com.
ABOUT FUBOTV
fuboTV merged with FaceBank Group in April 2020 to create a leading digital entertainment company, combining fuboTV’s direct-to-consumer live TV streaming platform for cord-cutters with FaceBank’s technology-driven IP in sports, movies and live performances. The combined company now operates as fuboTV [OTCQB:FBNK] with David Gandler as CEO based in New York City.
Continually innovating to give subscribers a premium viewing experience they can’t find with cable TV, fuboTV is regularly first-to-market with new product features and is the only virtual MVPD to stream in 4K. Other industry “firsts” for the company include entering Europe with the launch of fuboTV España in 2018. fubo Sports Network, the live, free-to-consumer TV network for passionate sports fans, launched in 2019 with event coverage, news, behind-the-scenes and exclusive programming.
ABOUT ONE ENTERTAINMENT
ONE Entertainment is a pioneer in the world of Entertainment Consulting, with over 20 years of experience in servicing celebrity clients and brands worldwide. ONE focuses on monetizing celebrity and entertainment brands by creating a customized approach for each client that maximizes exposure and profitability. The team at ONE has experience in all facets of entertainment, and they can serve your needs in film, music, sports, live events, digital and entertainment business development. ONE Entertainment has had an almost decade long representation relationship with Floyd Mayweather and has been instrumental in spearheading his international touring, boxing exhibitions, branding and digital partnerships. More info can be found at: oneentertainmentonline.com
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based on the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of FaceBank Group, Inc. (d/b/a fuboTV) (“fuboTV”) and on information currently available to fuboTV. The forward-looking statements in this press release represent fuboTV’s views as of the date of this press release. These statements may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding future events or future financial and operating performance and fuboTV’s plans for, and the anticipated benefits of, new strategic partnerships. Although fuboTV believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, fuboTV can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause fuboTV’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Except as required by applicable law, fuboTV does not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise. No representations or warranties (expressed or implied) are made about the accuracy of any such forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause fuboTV’s actual results to differ materially are detailed from time to time in the reports fuboTV files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which are available on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at www.sec.gov and are available from fuboTV without charge. However, new risk factors and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible to predict all risk factors and uncertainties.
