Streaming: The Catalyst Fueling Saudi Pro League's Dynamic Development
Streaming: The Catalyst Fueling Saudi Pro League's Dynamic Development
And where to stream the matches around the world
Hey streamers 👋
Welcome to the 63rd edition of The Streaming Lab, a weekly newsletter exploring the trends that matter to streaming professionals. If you are not already a subscriber, sign up and join 1,600+ others who receive it directly in their inbox every Monday.
Today’s program:
A brief history of Saudi Pro League
The impact of streaming on Saudi Pro League's growth
Where to stream the matches around the world
And… Action!
A brief history of Saudi Pro League
The Saudi Pro League, also known as the Roshn Saudi League for sponsorship reasons, is the top-tier professional football league in Saudi Arabia. Here's a brief overview of its history:
Early Years (1976-1990s)
The Saudi Pro League was officially established in 1976. Al Nassr won the first season, marking the beginning of professional football in Saudi Arabia. The league saw the emergence of several clubs like Al Hilal, Al Ittihad, and Al-Ahli. These clubs began to establish their dominance in Saudi football, winning multiple league titles.
Global Recognition (2000s)
In the early 2000s, the Saudi Pro League gained more international recognition. Al Ittihad won the Asian Club Championship (AFC Champions League) twice consecutively in 2004 and 2005. This marked a significant achievement for Saudi Arabian football.
Foreign Players and Investment (2010s)
During the 2010s, foreign players and coaches were brought in to enhance the level of competition and professionalism. Clubs also invested more in infrastructure and player development. Al Nassr, Al Hilal, and Al Ahli continued to be dominant forces in the league during this period.
Recent Years (2020s)
In 2020, the league was officially rebranded as the Saudi Professional League (SPL). There were increased investments in player acquisitions and club infrastructure, aiming to make the league more competitive and attractive to both fans and investors.
Today (Season 2023-2024)
The new season kicked off last Friday after half a billion dollars invested in top players and coaches from traditional European powerhouses. Ronaldo’s arrival in January to play for the Riyadh-based Al Nassr club drew global attention to ongoing efforts to boost the Saudi Pro League.
Here is the list of the new players that joined the league recently:
BREAKING NEWS 🚨 Neymar (PSG to Al Hilal / between $80m and $100m)
Malcolm (Zenit St Petersburg to Al Hilal / $66m)
Ruben Neves (Wolverhampton Wanderers to Al Hilal / $60m)
Fabinho (Liverpool to Al Ittihad - $51.33m)
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Lazio to Al Hilal / $44m)
Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City to Al Ahli / $39m)
Jota (Celtic to Al Ittihad/ $31.7m)
Sadio Mane (Bayern Munich to Al Nassr / $30m)
Seko Fofana (Lens to Al Nassr / $28m)
Kalidou Koulibaly (Chelsea to Al Hilal / $21.61m)
Edouard Mendy (Chelsea to Al Ahli / $21m)
Marcelo Brozovic (Inter Milan to Al Nassr / $20m)
Jordan Henderson (Liverpool to Al Ettifaq / $15.4m)
Franck Kessie (Barcelona to Al Ahli / $13m)
Jack Hendry (Club Brugge to Al Ettifaq / $8.3m)
Alex Telles (Manchester United to Al Nassr / $4.4m)
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid to Al Ittihad / Free transfer)
N'Golo Kante (Chelsea to Al Ittihad / Free transfer)
Roberto Firmino (Liverpool to Al Ahli / Free transfer)
Moussa Dembele (Lyon to Al Ettifaq / Free transfer)
The impact of streaming on Saudi Pro League's growth
I’m convinced streaming can play a pivotal role in pushing the development of the Saudi Pro League in several ways:
Wider audience reach
Streaming platforms have a global reach, allowing the Saudi Pro League to reach fans all around the world. This can help in attracting international viewership, which can lead to increased sponsorships and revenue streams.
Accessibility
Streaming offers flexibility in terms of when and where fans can watch the matches. This accessibility can lead to more consistent viewership, as fans can follow the league even if they can't watch the live matches.
Innovation and fan experience
Streaming services offer innovative features such as alternative camera angles, player insights, and behind-the-scenes content. This enriches the overall fan experience and keeps them engaged beyond the match itself.
Youth involvement
Streaming is a medium that resonates well with younger audiences. By adopting streaming platforms, the Saudi Pro League can tap into the tech-savvy youth demographic, potentially increasing interest in football and forging a new generation of fans, players, and even industry professionals.
Showcasing local talent
Streaming platforms allow for greater coverage of matches, including those involving smaller clubs. This exposure can help shine a spotlight on local talent and provide opportunities for emerging players to gain recognition.
Highlighting culture and tradition
Streaming platforms can showcase the unique culture and traditions surrounding Saudi football. This can help create a distinct identity for the league, making it more appealing to both local and international audiences.
Data analytics
Streaming platforms provide valuable data on viewer behavior, such as viewing habits, engagement levels, and geographic distribution. This data can inform strategic decisions, including marketing efforts, scheduling, and tailoring content to match viewer preferences.
Monetization opportunities
Streaming platforms offer diverse monetization avenues beyond traditional broadcasting rights. The league can generate revenue through subscriptions, Ad placements, partnerships, and premium content offerings, which can then be reinvested into player development, club facilities, and validate the overall viability of the league in the next 5 to 10 years.
Where to stream the matches around the world?
The new season of Saudi Pro League started last Friday. I posted the same day a summary of the media rights that are already secured:
Let’s focus on the OTT services that are now streaming the matches:
SHAHID (MENA)
Shahid, the streaming service of MBC Group, offers the live broadcast of the Roshn Saudi League 2023/2024 as part of their VIP | Sports package.
DAZN (UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Belgium and Canada)
DAZN, the international OTT sports streaming service, has secured the rights to stream Saudi Pro League matches for a two-year period in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Belgium and Canada. DAZN will stream three Saudi league matches per week, and all the matches of Al-Nassr, the club that signed Cristiano Ronaldo last year.
MARCA+ (Spain)
Marca, Spain's national daily sport newspaper owned by Unidad Editorial, will stream for free some live matches of the Saudi Pro League.
SONY LIV (India)
The Saudi Pro League football matches will be broadcasted live in India via Sony Sports Network, including their streaming service Sony LIV.
YOUTUBE with CANAL GOAT (Brazil)
Canal Goat is a YouTube channel promoting an innovative and disruptive way to watch sports content, for FREE.
BILIBILI (China)
Bilibili is one of the major Chinese streaming platforms, offering sports, documentaries, variety shows, and other original programming.
10 PLAY (Australia)
10 Play will stream 3 matches weekly up until the conclusion of the 2024/25 season.
That’s all for today, why streaming should fuel the development of Saudi Pro League. If you enjoyed this breakdown, please consider sharing it with your friends and colleagues!
I hope everyone has a great week, see you online next Monday. Until then, enjoy the first match of the season of Al Ittihad FC with Fabinho, Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kante, tonight on Shahid.
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