The fast-rising Saudi Pro League made a big move by inking a broadcast deal with streaming service DAZN in the UK. The landmark deal brings notoriety and credibility to a league trying to build its prominence ahead of a key league season. The agreement stipulates that DAZN will show every game in the Saudi top league live this season. High-profile signings such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema are now available to audiences in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria and other parts of Europe.
The influx of soccer superstars to Saudi Arabia has disrupted the sport and clubs funded by the country’s public investment fund are able to offer astronomical salaries to attract big names from Europe’s elite leagues. Ronaldo’s surprise move from Manchester United to Al-Nassr in January drew unprecedented attention. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner reportedly earns $211 million a year in the Middle East.
Other star recruits include former Liverpool duo Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson at Al-Ettifaq, newly crowned Ballon d’Or winner Benzema at Al-Nassr and others joining rival clubs.
DAZN is entering into a low-cost bet with the Saudi Pro League deal in Great Britain
The concentration of talent has raised the profile and competitiveness of the Saudi Pro League. According to it, DAZN will aim to capitalize on the influx of well-known names familiar to European fans the athlete, which spread the word. Previously, UK rights had attracted limited interest.
Sky Sports showed some of Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr games last season but viewership was low. Neither Sky nor BT Sport are bidding for the rights this time. But DAZN took the opportunity and reportedly paid $500,000 for the one-year UK rights. For DAZN, this represents a low-risk dip, while the Saudis are prioritizing exposure over revenue at this early stage of growth.
The long game
If the league’s new names can bring entertainment and attention to screens, interest in the competition could grow rapidly. This would increase the value of Saudi Arabia’s domestic rights in future cycles. The World Cup in Qatar brought golf football to a new audience. Now the Saudi Pro League is positioning itself ambitiously as the next big goal. The quality of the foreign recruits suggests it’s a must-see train for European fans.
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2023-08-08 22:07:47
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