My frustration being a kickboxing fan in Holland.

With the next It’s Showtime event just around the corner I wanted to share with you guys some of my frustrations living in Holland and being a huge kickboxing fan. You might think that with the history Holland has in kickboxing, it would be our national sport; but instead it's completely the opposite. In sports, the Netherlands are good in a few things: Skating, Hockey, Swimming and Soccer. Those four sports everybody knows about and get most of the media coverage. Holland does pretty well every time a big tournament comes around when it involves those sports; but we aren’t as dominant in those sports as we are in Kickboxing.

Here’s where my frustration starts to settle in: the media in Holland covers anything when there is a chance a Dutchmen can walk away with a prize. Hours and hours of Darts they broadcast just because a chubby ‘’athlete’’ can throw a arrow with precision and is good in math and has a chance to win a title. At the same time, some of the best fighters in the world, who are Dutch, are competing on a monthly basis and we have to keep track of it on the the internet (preferably www.Headkicklegend.com). At the last Final Eight Grand Prix in K-1, five out of eight participants live and train in Holland and they don’t even show it live. With the rumours of It’s Showtime getting a American TV deal it only makes me more pissed about being a kickboxing fan in Holland. Those are ‘’our champions’’ but we don’t even get to see them live in action. Holland is known around the world for being one if not the best when it comes to kickboxing. Not only has it produced numerous of Champions like Albert Kraus, Andy Souwer, Semmy Schilt, Remy Bonjasky, Peter Aerts, Alistair Overeem and of course Ernesto Hoost. There even was a period of time when Dutch fighters had a monopoly on the prestigious K-1 Title. Wich basically means that you are the best fighter of the world (on your feet). It pains me to see that these guys don’t get the recognizition they deserve from the media in their own country. Don’t get me wrong a lot of people know these guys but it’s not with the help of the media.

more frustrations after the jump

Now with the troubles with FEG and all the rumours surrounding it. It’s Showtime has stepped up for the moment and become the premier promotion if you want to see the most elite kickboxers fight. It’s Showtime is based in Amsterdam and was founded by Simon Rutz. Instead of supporting the Amsterdam based company and help to promote their biggest events of the year (that usually takes place in the Amsterdam ArenA) and trying to become the kickboxing capital of Europe; the mayor of Amsterdam instead is sold on the idea that kickboxing events are like a criminal convention and he even goes as far as trying to ban the kickboxing events completely from their own city. Wich is pretty ironic because Amsterdam itself is handing out governments funding to local Gyms to keep youth of the street and trough kickboxing trying to teach them discipline. All those young kids are hoping to breaktrough in kickboxing or at least wanting to fight a some competitive matches. With the ideas of the mayor banning kickboxing, the sport will lose the interest of the kids because know they can't showcase their tallent and/or hardwork in front of their own family and friends and it puts them back on the streets looking for trouble. Is that really want you want Mayor van der Laan ?

Another problem in Holland is the media coverage for kickboxing, there is a public sports show that’s shows every sport here in Holland from soccer  to hocky from judo to gymnastics even sports like Team handball and korfball (throwing a ball trough a picknick basket). Every Sunday at 19.00 PM the shows draws around million of people. Well you think sunday that’s a great day to do a recap of kickboxing events that happened on Saturday but no. We have to watch the our kickboxing events in multiple parts every Monday at around 0.00 to 1.00 AM. To Watch K-1 and to see the Dutch world champions trying to win or defend their belt, forget about watching it live, just avoid all combat sports site that cover the K-1 Grand prix and watch it the next day (Sunday) on tape-delay with commercials between every fight and also at the great time of 12 to 1.00 am. Don’t expect me to be at my best on Monday morning.

Here in Holland in Holland we have a knack to celebrate everything and everyone who does good abroad even if they have chance to win. So it pains me to see that the best fighters in the world and the premier kickboxing organization aren’t getting the press/media attention they deserve, it’s like they want to keep the sport quiet from the masses well it’s not working. Here is where my frustration turns in to fear, if It’s Showtime gets a American TV deal they probably get a bigger fanbase over in the states wich means that the annually Amsterdam Arena show (biggest kickboxing event in Holland) might move to the states. That’s maybe sounds good for you Americans but a huge loss for every single kickboxing fan here in the Netherlands.