Friday, Aug. 26, is a historic date to circle on the calendar as ONE Championship makes its debut on Prime Video with ONE on Prime Video 1: Moraes vs. Johnson II.
That day could, very well, be the start of a new era in martial arts.
The Singapore-based promotion’s deal with the streaming giant is significant for a myriad of reasons. Prime Video has been looking to partner up with the largest sports brands in the world, and ONE was a key target for the company.
The worldwide service has already penned contracts with other reputable sports organizations that say working with it has led to breakthrough moments within the brand.
When the NFL inked its deal for Thursday Night Football with Prime Video, Commissioner Roger Goodell praised the move to streaming.
“This is a seminal moment for the distribution of the content. The NFL was big part of the growth of broadcast TV in the ’70s, the ’80s in cable, the ’90s with satellite TV. The NFL has shown the ability to advance those new technologies and fan behavior,” Goodell said (h/t Christopher Palmeri of Bloomberg).
And ONE looks to be a perfect fit for internet-based broadcasting, given its commitment to technology and global fanbase across its social media platforms.
Prime Video offers an enormous opportunity for new fans to discover ONE. During their fourth-quarter earnings report, Amazon announced that more than 200 million Prime users streamed television shows or movies in 2021 (h/t The Hollywood Reporter’s Alex Weprin) – and that figure continues to grow.
With the recent Neilsen report showcasing ONE’s global strength when it comes to viewership, it is clear why Amazon was eager to partner with the martial arts organization.
Much like the streaming platform itself, ONE has gone through tremendous growth over the past few years. It is routinely ranked among the fast-growing global sports properties, and its digital footprint is incredible.
In total video views last year, for example, ONE ranked number-two among all the organizations polled, with a staggering 13.8 billion views. The promotion also posted a 24-percent growth in followers last year.
Now the deal is done, and it’s time to put the partnership into action.
One of the fastest-rising sports properties will take to one of the largest streaming platforms to continue its growth and help promote martial arts.
ONE will bring Muay Thai, kickboxing, and submission grappling to the forefront of American audiences during their partnership.
This is an amazing chance to unlock the potential of those sports and push them to the next level.
When looking back at the progression of combat sports in yeas to come, there is a good chance that the partnership between Prime Video and ONE will stand out as a pivotal moment.
ONE on Prime Video 1: Moraes vs. Johnson II will begin the new era on Prime Video on Friday, Aug. 26, at 8 p.m. ET.