1) The Karate 1 - Premier League 2017 will feature televised broadcasting of the final matches, increasing the global media presence and visibility of the tournaments and sport. 2) Changes have been implemented, including standardizing the competition program across all events and increasing participation requirements for athletes and referees, to boost the sports level and importance of results. 3) Innovations like introducing branded karategis and identifying "Grand Winners" are aimed at attracting spectators and providing a good sports show to achieve the goals of disseminating the competition and increasing its impact on the Olympic qualification process.

1. KARATE 1 – PREMIER LEAGUE 2017
The TV production and TV broadcasting of Karate 1 – Premier League,
corresponding to the final matches, represents a significant step of an event
that in successive editions has managed to achieve a high sport level and a
high level of participation.
This new scenario will offer the possibility to increase in a global way the media
presence of our tournaments, as well as, the broadcasting of our sport.
In line with the above, we have developed several changes and innovations,
approved by the WKF EC, focused in obtain a better following and higher
visibility of the competition. Some of these actions are listed below:
COMPETITION PROGRAMME
The competition programme should have the same format for all events:
- Elimination rounds on Friday and Saturday.
- Bouts for medals on Sunday morning, in an unique tatami.
SPORTS LEVEL
The sports level of the competition based on the quality of the competitors and
the referees, as well as the importance of the results produced.
In order to achieve this aim, we have adopted two measures to boost the
achievement:
1) Participation of athletes in at least 60% of the events and two continents
in order to be eligible for the “Grand Winner” prize.
2) For the yearly registration of international Referees at the World
Championships, they will be required to participate in at least TWO
Premier League events in two Continents.

2. Moreover, from the different WKF media devices and aiming at attracting the
attention of both the competitors and the National Federations, the actions for
dissemination will be increased in each of the events composing 2017 Premier
League edition. Its impact for obtaining points for the Ranking and the
importance that this will have in the Olympic qualification for Tokyo 2020 will
thus be communicated.
IMAGE OF THE EVENT
Other aspects to be taken into consideration which are equally very important
for the new Premier League format with TV are the following:
It is very important and sometimes even crucial to attract the interest of the
spectators facilitating the follow-up of competition through introducing new
elements which might at the same time contribute to provide good sports show
and achieve the proposed goals.
In relation to this and as an innovation, from the edition of 2017, the following
will be incorporated:
- Competition Karategi. The Karategis with stripes with the
embroidered brand of the manufacturer on the shoulder will be
accepted for use in the Premier League by those competitors who
wish to do so, both for Kata and Kumite in red or blue colour,
depending if the competitor is AKA or AO (see drawing attached).
The authorized suppliers to commercialize these karategi models, are
the currently TEN brands with sport protections WKF Approved:
ADIDAS – ARAWAZA – BUDO NORD – DAEDO – HAYASHI –
SHUREIDO – SMAI – TOKAIDO – WACOKU - WESING
Additionally, it would be optional for all “Grand Winners” of the
previous season to wear a currently approved Karategi with the brand
mark on the shoulder in gold colour, in order to identify them and
value the obtained title towards the spectators.