SportBusiness.com

RPI ends Don King JV

Publishing and marketing firm R Paniagua Inc (RPI) has made the final payment in an agreement to buy-back 50 percent ownership from boxing promoters Don King Productions (DKP) of King Paniagua Inc.

King Paniagua was formerly a limited liability joint venture initially launched by the two companies, with all assets now assumed by RPI.

The move effectively buys out the King organisation.

Said Ralph Paniagua, president of RPI: "It's a move that now allows us to do business with other boxing entities in addition to DKP.

"The joint venture with DKP presented some challenges throughout. The experience of working with Don King has been an exceptional one. We are happy to remain on a friendly level with DKP but at the same time open the rest of the boxing world to our company and its businesses."

RPI specialises in marketing and sponsorship sales for sports and entertainment properties. In Boxing, RPI has served as the Latino market consultant to HBO Pay-Per-View and Showtime in their major championship boxing programmes.

It publishes titles such as VIVA New York, Latino Baseball and Latino Boxing newspaper inserts.

It also produces and distributes the TV broadcast of the Caribbean Winter League Baseball World Series.