MUMBAI: ONE Championship, the Singapore-based Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) league will be brought to India for the first time courtesy its multi-year media rights deal with Star India.
ONE is renowned as the largest global sports media property in Asian history. Its founder and CEO Chatri Sityodtong confirmed the development in a post recently on his official LinkedIn page that reads:
“I am thrilled to announce that ONE Championship will now air in India on both Star Sports and Hotstar with a multi-year partnership, starting on March 31 with ONE: A New Era in Tokyo!
“Thank you to Uday Shankar, Chairman/CEO of Star Sports and Chairman/CEO of Walt Disney Asia, for your vision and leadership in putting together this groundbreaking partnership between the world’s largest entertainment company and Asia’s largest global sports media property. I would also like to thank Sanjay Gupta, Managing Director of Star India, for making everything happen.
“I would also like to give a shoutout to Saurabh Mittal, Vice Chairman of ONE Championship and my partner, for leading the charge in India (among many other important strategic responsibilities).
Lastly, I would like to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for your warm reception. ONE Championship will honor your heroes and celebrate the values of your 1.3 billion people! #WeAreONE
LET’S GOOOOO, India!!!”
Sityodtong was invited to speak at the three-day Global Entrepreneurship Summit in New Delhi in 2017, where he met the Indian Prime Minister to discuss the potential of the country’s market and the timing of its entry for the first time.
“Six years ago (when One was founded) I didn’t feel that India was ready yet, but now I see the country as being pro-entrepreneurial and having support for sports at the highest levels.
“I am astounded by how massive the market is in India and the time is ripe right now to enter India,” the ONE founder was quoted as saying to The Straits Times back then.
While ONE is yet to announce an official event in India, a broadcast entry is still a start. With its global popularity and potential, its television ratings and digital traction will make it compete directly with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), which is broadcast by Star’s rivals Sony Pictures Networks in the Indian subcontinent.
ONE has another trick up its sleeve to woo Indian audiences by confirming last month that wrestler Ritu Phogat has signed up with them, who is also a part of Evolve MMA in Singapore now.
Phogat’s popularity courtesy her wrestling exploits and her sisters Babita and Vinesh, are expected to help Star promote the property in India massively.
“It is both an honor and a privilege to join ONE Championship, the best and biggest martial arts organization in the world,” Phogat was quoted as saying in February.
“Wrestling will always be my first love, but I feel that it is time to expand my horizons. I am excited to compete against the best mixed martial artists in the world, and to bring glory and pride to my home country. I also look to prove that Indian martial arts is truly world-class.
“Thank you, ONE Championship, for the opportunity to share my talent on the global stage.”
