Why haven't ONE been able to break into the Japanese and Korean market?

[Allidoiswin]

They claim to be the biggest in asia but they've yet to have a single show in Japan or Korea. Why?

 

[leto1776]

They put scheduled events up on their website, then they mysteriously disappear. Apparently they even had a date for Jangchung gymnasium (the traditional home of mma in Seoul) last year, but canceled. Who knows, honestly. I think it has something to do with them not securing local sponsors. You'd think with all the money they brag about getting from hedge funds and such, it wouldn't be an issue.

 

[Katsumi Yamada]

They claim to be the biggest in asia but they've yet to have a single show in Japan or Korea. Why?

So many reasons.

They have had most of their shows in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Phillipines, Thailand, Myanmar, etc. And China.

Those were more or less virgin territories for MMA, so as soon as they put on a big arena show, they automatically became the leader of MMA in those countries. (China being the exception- though the MMA market is hardly saturated). They could use marketing to make average fighters seem world class, because ONE is the only MMA that most of their audience even watch.

MMA is well established in Japan and Korea. There are successful promotions there, who they would be competing with. There are promotions with similar talent levels which draw a fraction of the crowds one does in southeast Asia.
Basically they would really have to step their game up *significantly* to have success as a newcomer in those countries.

Not to mention....what foreign run promotion has ever had success in Japan?

I don't doubt that they have been trying but it's a much bigger risk and much bigger challenge. In my opiniom they would be better off pushing into China and Australia. UFC puts on an average card in Australia like 1-2 times a year at awkward timings and it always goes over well.
They are wide open for ONE to move in, I think.

 

[strongstylekarate]

Because mma is well establish on those countries, and they need to up their game to gain the sympathy of those people.

Road FC, Rizin, Pancrase and Deep are their biggest competitor there.

 

[InfinityLens]

Because mma is well establish on those countries, and they need to up their game to gain the sympathy of those people.

Road FC, Rizin, Pancrase and Deep are their biggest competitor there.

Sakikabara said he is cool with 1C in Japan. If 1C wanted to do business there they should do one between the biggest gap in Rizin shows.

 

[strongstylekarate]

Sakikabara said he is cool with 1C in Japan. If 1C wanted to do business there they should do one between the biggest gap in Rizin shows.

I think it's possible, sometimes I really feel that One Championship is really turning into a freakshow sometimes.

 

[lukeuidswords]

No Japanese stars

And before you say anything, Aoki does not count as a star, he's old and not particularly well-liked

 

[skylolow]

The honest truth.........................................simply put, they don't have the stars to draw in the fans in areas that have been educated on the sport of MMA. Japan fan isn't getting out of bed to see two Chinese fighters with a combined record of 5-4 fight or whatever and the same could be said about Korea to an extent.

Right now One FC is using the "hometown talent" cheap pop business model that regional shows use in the US and other countries that MMA is established in. At some point they will need grow past this or they'll just become stale.

 

[savemgs]

No Japanese stars

And before you say anything, Aoki does not count as a star, he's old and not particularly well-liked

Yeah aoki was never that big in Japan something to do with bad sportsmanship right

 

[fermaPY]

No Japanese stars

And before you say anything, Aoki does not count as a star, he's old and not particularly well-liked

They should try to slowly build some Japanese fighters and add them to their roster.... ink 5 or 6 and give them somee good match ups and build them.. then make the jump to the Japanese market... same with the Korean one

 

[UncleMachidaEra]

Aoki broke the guys arm and flipped him a bird

 

[Allidoiswin]

The honest truth.........................................simply put, they don't have the stars to draw in the fans in areas that have been educated on the sport of MMA. Japan fan isn't getting out of bed to see two Chinese fighters with a combined record of 5-4 fight or whatever and the same could be said about Korea to an extent.

Right now One FC is using the "hometown talent" cheap pop business model that regional shows use in the US and other countries that MMA is established in. At some point they will need grow past this or they'll just become stale.

Then they should just be able to sign up some top level Japanese and Korean talent right? Get Japan and Korea behind their homeboys? They should have the money for it if they claim to be a rich as they say. Imagine if they signed Horiguchi instead of Rizin by luring him with promise of more pay.

 

[Allidoiswin]

No Japanese stars

And before you say anything, Aoki does not count as a star, he's old and not particularly well-liked

What about Yoshitaka and Hayato?

 

[InfinityLens]

They should co-promote with Rizin during schedule gaps, it could be good for both promotions.

Then they should just be able to sign up some top level Japanese and Korean talent right? Get Japan and Korea behind their homeboys? They should have the money for it if they claim to be a rich as they say. Imagine if they signed Horiguchi instead of Rizin by luring him with promise of more pay.

 

[skylolow]

Then they should just be able to sign up some top level Japanese and Korean talent right? Get Japan and Korea behind their homeboys? They should have the money for it if they claim to be a rich as they say. Imagine if they signed Horiguchi instead of Rizin by luring him with promise of more pay.

I think a lot of it is just talk. If you had the money they talk about then they'd be a real player in the MMA free agency and won't have a problem expanding to those areas.

SE Asis part of the world or whatever you want to call it has always talked big and produced very little in the end.

 

[Allidoiswin]

I think a lot of it is just talk. If you had the money they talk about then they'd be a real player in the MMA free agency and won't have a problem expanding to those areas.

SE Asis part of the world or whatever you want to call it has always talked big and produced very little in the end.

I dont know about that. Not sure if you've been to Singapore but its a very wealthy country. Besides, I dont think they would have so many events or been able to hire Askren if they didnt have some cash to throw around.

 

[Allidoiswin]

ONE has a lot of Japanese fighters already. Why hasn't ONE been able to draw in Japanese audiences with them?

 

[Yodsanan]

ONE has a lot of Japanese fighters already. Why hasn't ONE been able to draw in Japanese audiences with them?

I mean they do. ratings are better for ONE than for UFC/Bellator on Abema in Japan. timezones.

ONE also announced they will do 4 shows in Japan a year.

 

[Asurah]

ONE has a lot of Japanese fighters already. Why hasn't ONE been able to draw in Japanese audiences with them?

They have done 0 marketing on anyone other than Aoki who has already fought on bigger stages, and even then they weren't marketing him towards Japan. The other guys they have, while some are high level fighters, aren't known names at all. ONE talks how they are going to expand into all of these markets but either they are just puffing their chests up or severely overestimated their appeal, it's one thing to come in to Indonesia and Singapore where the MMA infrastructure isn't as developed, it's another entirely to break into Korea or Japan which have their own major promotions.

Kickboxing is probably their best hope at gaining some traction in these markets and it's probably the smartest investment they have made in years. Kickboxing, Muay Thai, and boxing still rule Asia in general when it comes to combat sports.

 

[Asurah]

I mean they do. ratings are better for ONE than for UFC/Bellator on Abema in Japan. timezones.

ONE also announced they will do 4 shows in Japan a year.

4 is less BS than when they were claiming 20 Chinese events a year or whatever ludicrous number it was, I still wouldn't count on it though