Ahead of its massive ONE 165 event on Sunday, January 28, ONE Championship is resonating with its audience in a major way. GWI, a leading consumer research company, revealed the detailed findings.
Undeniably, the martial arts industry is growing. According to the report, there has been a 32% increase in U.S. sports fans who watch, follow, or are interested in martial arts since the second quarter of 2022.
ONE is part of that growth and sees an increased share of that viewership. Perhaps more importantly, its fans are shown to be more engaged with the product.
From December 2022 through May 2023, ONE saw a remarkable jump in audience growth. Bolstered by its U.S. debut, ONE Fight Night 10, ONE improved its audience by 46%.
ONE viewers spend more time watching martial arts than its competition (4.9 hours vs. 2.7 hours per week).
The world's largest martial arts company is connecting with the next generation of martial arts fans. 63% of 18-29 year old viewers responded by saying they "extremely like" ONE Championship. It is the most-liked martial arts organization in the demographic.
The brand tracker revealed other key findings, including 45% believing that ONE puts the health and safety of its athletes first. The organization has several policies to ensure health and safety, including hydration tests during weigh-ins.
48% also found "inspiration" from ONE. It is a number that reflects the organization's mission statement, stating, "ONE's mission is to champion the many benefits and values of martial arts such as respect, courage, integrity, and humility. By telling athletes' inspirational stories, ONE hopes to provide society at large with role models to look up to, characters that empower people with the hope, inspiration, and strength to overcome adversity in their daily lives."
With more than 80 million followers across their social media channels, it should be no surprise that ONE is also gaining traction digitally.
Discussion on online forums increased by 30%, and fans betting on martial arts matches rose by 22% vs. non-viewers.
With a youthful and engaged audience, ONE shows how bright the future can be. The commitment to the ideals of martial arts is resonating with the next generation, who will continue to carry the torch for martial arts.
ONE 165: Superlek vs. Takeru airs live on global pay-per-view on watch.onefc.com at 3 a.m. EST/12 a.m. PST on Sunday, January 28.