U-Next, a Japanese streaming service, has been announced as the exclusive broadcaster partner of ONE Championship, the Singapore-based mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion.
The deal involves the streaming service providing exclusive live and on-demand access to ONE’s events to its audience in Japan, with programming available with English and Japanese commentary.
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Chatri Sityodtong, chairman and chief executive of ONE Championship, said: “ONE is honored to kick off this partnership with U-Next, one of Japan’s hottest platforms for live sports content.
“Bringing ONE back to Tokyo last month allowed us to once again feel the deep-rooted passion for martial arts in the region. Through this partnership with U-Next, we can’t wait to continue delivering world-class martial arts action to all of our fans in Japan.”
Tenshin Tsutsumi, president and chief executive of U-Next, added: “We are delighted to announce that the world’s largest martial arts organization, ONE Championship, with millions of passionate fans in over 190 countries worldwide, is now our exclusive partner in Japan.
“U-Next strives to provide our beloved Japanese athletes a global platform to showcase their skills and share their incredible stories. ONE Championship is known for its thrilling live events, and the organization features a plethora of Japanese martial artists who compete on the world stage.”
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By GlobalDataLast December Sky Sports, the UK pay-TV heavyweight, unveiled a rights tie-up with ONE Championship.
The deal gives Sky rights to air both ONE event and “ancillary programming” across both its linear broadcast and digital platforms in the UK and Ireland. This is the first time ONE Championship has agreed with a major UK broadcaster.
The partnership began on January 14 with ONE Fight Night 18 in Bangkok, Thailand.
The previous major ONE Championship coverage deal, meanwhile, came in late September when the promotion entered into a tie-up across New Zealand and select Pacific Islands with the Fire combat sports network.
September also saw ONE Championship strike a deal with DirecTV, the US satellite broadcaster, which is now distributing its events in commercial venues across that country.
