ONE Championship Positions Itself For Profitability After Record-Setting Year

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ONE Championship has had its biggest year in history in 2023, and according to the company's CEO Chatri Sityodtong, the promotion will reach profitability by the end of the year.

Just a few months ago, Forbes named ONE as the fourth most-valuable sports promotion worth US$1.3billion. ONE Championship was also deemed one of the fastest growing companies in the combat sports world.

Its ranking came only behind UFC and professional wrestling giants WWE and AEW - making ONE the second most-valuable real fighting organization on the planet ahead of the likes of Matchroom Boxing.

Following a massive 2023 that saw over 50 events take place, Sityodtong revealed the promotion's estimated revenue for the record-setting year to be at US$140 million. And he anticipates the promotion to become profitable in the second part of 2024 as the company nears US$200 million in revenue.

"Through a combination of strong revenue growth and good cost optimisation, ONE will achieve profitability and positive cash flow in the third or fourth quarter of this year," Sityodtong said.

"Our run rate revenues will approach US$200 million this year, representing a 50 percent increase from 2023."

After a record-breaking year in 2023 with the most live events showcased in the promotion's existence, ONE Championship continues to up the ante in 2024. Its weekly ONE Friday Fights series in Bangkok, Thailand, has been a roaring success, bringing new international stars into the promotion.

The popularity of the weekly show inside Lumpinee Boxing Stadium has helped boost revenue remarkably. On top of that, ONE's deals with Amazon Prime in the U.S. and Sky Sports in the U.K. have also given the organization a boost with over 60 events scheduled for this year.

That said, ONE now has a hold on Thailand's combat sports scene as well, having successfully identified the country as a key market. And the numbers are there to prove it.

"ONE's popularity in Thailand is unprecedented for any content genre in the Thai media industry," Sityodtong said. "According to Nielsen, ONE has consistently been the most-watched program of any kind, every week in Thailand, ever since the launch of ONE Friday Fights at Lumpinee Stadium."