Event Coverage
RDA TV to handle TNA Entertainment’s worldwide TV distribution
MUMBAI: Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) has appointed London-based media rights agency, RDA TV, to exclusively distribute its television rights on a global basis in a three year agreement, excluding the US.
The Nashville-headquartered TNA Entertainment has a six-sided ring and high-flying action. In India viewers can catch TNA action on Star Sports. RDA will be marketing TNA at Mipcom.
TNA has stars like Kurt Angle, Sting and Christian Cage, as well as hot new talent like A.J. Styles, Samoa Joe and “Black Machismo” Jay Lethal. TNA’s weekly flagship programme, TNA Impact, airs on Spike TV in the US with TNA also producing a monthly PPV event and associated programming.
RDA TV, whose clients include Real Madrid Television and Traffic Sports Marketing (Copa America, Brazil World Cup Qualifiers), has a strong track record in identifying and maximizing the potential of ‘next generation’ media rights.
RDA has worked with Ultimate Fighting Championship since 2001, during which time UFC has emerged as a major powerhouse in sports programming and PPV. RDA was responsible securing UFC distribution deals in UK (Sky Sports, Bravo, Setanta Sports), Australia (Fox Sports), Sweden (TV4), New Zealand (Sky) and Italy (FX).
TNA Entertainment president Dixie Carter says, “We are thrilled to continue our relationship with RDA as we work together to bring the most exciting professional wrestling in the world today to fans across the globe. RDA will in crease our presence with broadcasters on a global basis.”
RDA TV MD Richard Dennis said, “TNA already has a strong cult following in US, UK and in parts of Asia, and this brand has tremendous potential for worldwide growth. Consumer interest in MMA and wrestling programming has grown massively in the last decade, and we strongly feel that TNA appeals directly to a new generation of wrestling fans that will prove very successful for broadcasters.”
RDA’s first successful distribution agreements for TNA in the UK have been an 18 month agreement with Bravo for PAY-tv rights, and VOD deal with BT Vision. TNA’s existing distribution agreements include ESPN Star Sports and Star World (Asia), Fox Sports Middle East, SuperSport (Africa), Sky (New Zealand) and Main Event (Australia).
Event Coverage
Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026
MUMBAI: Riding high on the success of its blockbuster Mumbai debut, Anime India is accelerating its nationwide expansion with the announcement of Amazon MX Player as the co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the festival’s mission to deliver large-scale, accessible, and fan-first anime experiences across the country.
Scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the iconic Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will launch the first regional chapter of what is set to be a year-long, multi-city tour. As the curtain-raiser for the 2026 circuit, the Kolkata edition aims to fuse the energy of global Japanese pop culture with India’s fast-growing community of anime, manga, and pop-culture fans.
A household name in digital entertainment, Amazon MX Player brings unmatched reach and cultural relevance to the Anime India platform. With its expanding focus on anime and youth-driven content, Amazon MX Player’s involvement as co-presenting partner reinforces Anime India’s vision of making anime culture more inclusive breaking barriers of language, geography, and accessibility to connect with fans nationwide.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will showcase cosplay competitions, interactive zones led by the Indian Gunpla Community, India-39 Vocaloid Community, The Japan Curry, and Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Fans can join tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and more. Acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as guest of honour, appearing in panels and live sessions. Positioned as an immersive celebration of fan culture and industry collaboration, the Kolkata edition marks the beginning of Anime India’s nationwide expansion.
Sharing their perspective on the partnership, Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani expressed, “Anime in India has evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream cultural movement, driven by an increasingly engaged and passionate fanbase. At Amazon MX Player, our focus is on expanding access by bringing anime to audiences across the country for free and in multiple local languages. Our association with Anime India reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of anime in India and deepening connections with fans, while continuing to build Amazon MX Player as a trusted destination for free, high-quality entertainment.”
“Anime India Kolkata is a celebration of how anime has grown beyond entertainment into a powerful cultural and creative force. By bringing fans, creators, and industry leaders onto one shared platform, the festival is helping define the future of pop culture in India,” said Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta.
The debut edition of Anime India 2025 in Mumbai attracted over 29,000 fans, quickly cementing its status as a landmark celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Riding on this overwhelming response, the Kolkata chapter is projected to draw more than 40,000 visitors across two days, positioning it as one of the biggest anime conventions ever held in eastern India.
Anime India is focused on bringing together fans from across the country to create a truly pan-India celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese culture. With plans to expand into four key metropolitan hubs in 2026—east (Kolkata), north (Delhi), west (Mumbai), and south (Hyderabad)—the festival seeks to deliver globally benchmarked experiences while supporting and uplifting creators, artists, and fan communities throughout India.
