Building a Sport Property from Scratch in Asia
With over 25 years in global sports—co‑founding ONE Championship, helping launch The Snow League into China, working on the Commonwealth Games, and now building EPIC—I’ve written these articles to share practical insights for the next generation of sport builders and leaders.
Building a new sport property from scratch in Asia is not just about putting on events; it starts with a clear thesis about why the market needs you. When I helped launch winter‑sport concepts like The Snow League into China and combat‑sports properties across Southeast Asia, the common pattern was obvious: huge populations, young and digital‑first, but underserved by premium, locally relevant sports content. The opportunity was hiding in plain sight—connect culturally resonant sports with world‑class production and distribution.
The first step is regulatory and cultural, not commercial. Across Asia I’ve sat in government offices, sports councils, and state‑owned broadcast headquarters explaining why a new sport or league belongs in their country. You cannot simply import a North American model and expect it to fit. For winter sports in China, that meant aligning with national ambitions around tourism and the “ice and snow economy”; for combat sports, it meant grounding our narrative in values like respect, honour, and discipline rather than controversy. Only after earning trust could we unlock venues, permits, and media windows.
The second step is to design a media company, not just a league. My years with ESPN Star Sports and other broadcasters taught me that if you don’t own the storytelling, you don’t own the value. From day one, we treated each new property—whether a snow event in China, a combat‑sports series in Asia, or now EPIC in pickleball—as global media content. That means multi‑language commentary, local and international versions of the same story, and platforms that reach far beyond the venue.
The third step is to build a scalable partnership model. In emerging sports markets, monetization often lags audience, so you need patience and creative deal structures. Long‑term media rights, integrated sponsorships, tourism partnerships, and even government support can all become pillars of the business. The aim is to create a flywheel where athletes, host cities, brands, and fans all gain when the property grows.
For entrepreneurs, the real competitive advantage is cultural fluency and relationships. When you connect global capital and media expertise with local heroes, values, and government objectives, you’re not just launching another league—you’re building a new platform for how that region experiences sport.