August 10 – The Saudi Pro League (SPL) has confirmed more than 130 broadcasters worldwide for the 2023/24 season including streaming channel DAZN in Europe and FOX Sports in the US.
The two-year deal with DAZN covers Austria, Belgium, Canada, Germany, and the UK. Other European broadcasters include Canal+ (France), Sport TV (Portugal), La 7 (Italy), Marca.com (Spain) and Cosmote (Greece).
The agreement will span all 34 fixture rounds of the upcoming Saudi Pro League season.
IMG, who have been handling the sales for the SPL, will also produce the live world feed, including graphics and English commentary. IMG’s digital team Seven League will manage the league’s social channels and digital content output while news packages will be carried by SNTV to more than 400 media organisations across broadcast, digital and social platforms worldwide.
While the value of the deals done does not get anywhere near Europe’s major leagues in terms of rights fees, the SPL is leveraging the raft of high-profile players joining Saudi clubs from Europe. There is also an international spread amongst those players, giving the league local interest in key football markets worldwide.
Saad Allazeez, the Saudi Pro League interim CEO, said: “These agreements come at a time of genuine growth for Saudi Arabian football, with growing interest in the Roshn Saudi league from football fans all around the world. The watching world can now enjoy front row seats as Saudi football transforms, and thanks to the Saudi Pro League strategy, football fans around the world will be able to watch promising young talent from the Kingdom competing and playing with some of the biggest names in world football.”
The new season kicks off on Friday with Al-Ahli, who have signed a host of talent such as Champions League winners Riyad Mahrez, goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and Roberto Firmino, taking on Al-Hazm.
The full list of broadcast deals secured for the 2023/24 Saudi Pro League include: A1 Bulgaria / Max Sport (Bulgaria), Azam (East Africa), Azteca (Central America & Mexico), Band Group (Brazil), Bilibili (China), Canal+ (France & French overseas territories), Cosmote (Greece), DAZN (UK, Germany, Austria, Canada, Belgium), GOAT (Brazil), Kball (China), La 7 (Italy), Marca.com(Spain), Migu (China), Network Ten (Australia), Prima Sports (Romania), Setanta (Commonwealth of Independent States, Baltics & Ukraine), Sony/culver (Indian Sub-continent), SPO TV (South East Asia, Korea & Japan), Sport TV (Portugal), Sporty TV (Nigeria & Ghana), StartTimes (Sub-Saharan Africa incl. South Africa), Supersport (Albania & Kosovo), Tencent (China), ZAP (Angola & Mozambique), Zhibo8 (China).
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1734900229labto1734900229ofdlr1734900229owedi1734900229sni@o1734900229fni1734900229
