⚽ Thmanyah Kicks Off With a Big Win

Over 2M fans watched the Saudi Super Cup on launch | Streaming in Short – W34

Aug 22, 2025

This week, we cover Thmanyah strong start with 2M+ viewers, ESPN launching its new Unlimited streaming service, and Ligue 1+ reaching 600k subscribers on its opening weekend.

🇸🇦 Thmanyah starts strong with 2M+ viewers

👉 Thmanyah’s new sports app launched on August 13. The first match between Al Nassr and Al Ittihad already reached 2.05M live viewers.

📍 The app is already number one on Saudi Arabia’s Apple charts. Thmanyah has the rights until 2031 to show the Roshn League (Saudi Pro League), King’s Cup, Super Cup, and Yelo League. A satellite channel will also launch on August 28.

💡 The numbers show two things: Saudi football is a huge draw, and local platforms like Thmanyah can compete directly with big sports players.

➡️ Full review of Thmanush App coming next week on The Streaming Lab Monday Insights.

🇺🇸 ESPN launches Unlimited streaming service

👉 ESPN has launched its own streaming app, ESPN Unlimited, giving fans all ESPN channels and shows without cable.

📍 The plan costs $29.99/month with 47,000+ live events each year, shows like SportsCenter and College GameDay, plus 30 for 30. A cheaper Select plan is $11.99, and fans can also bundle Disney+ and Hulu for the same $29.99 in year one.

💡 The launch comes as the NFL and college football seasons kick off, with ESPN pushing a fan-first app that adds multiview, live stats, betting info, and personalized feeds.

🇫🇷 Ligue 1+ hits 600k subscribers on opening weekend

What happened?

👉 France’s new football streaming service Ligue 1+ signed up over 600,000 subscribers in its first weekend, already matching what DAZN reached in all of last season.

Key details:

Plans start at €14.99/month, half of DAZN’s old price
€9.99 youth plan and €19.99 flexible monthly option
Includes 8 live matches per week, playoffs, Trophée des Champions, and magazine shows
New features: referee room and dressing room access
Distribution through Amazon, DAZN, Orange, Free, Bouygues, SFR, and Molotov
Target: 1M subs this season, 2.5M in four years

Why it matters?

🎯 First of Europe’s “Big Five” leagues to launch its own streaming platform, others are watching closely.

🤼 MMA: UFC moves to Paramount+ in $1.1B deal

Starting in 2026, all UFC events in the U.S. will stream live on Paramount+ under a seven-year, $1.1B agreement with TKO. Some major fights will also air on CBS.

The deal ends UFC’s pay-per-view model in the U.S., making big fights available at no extra cost to Paramount+ subscribers.

🏈 AMERICAN FOOTBALL: NFL takes 10% stake in ESPN

Disney and the NFL have agreed on a landmark deal: the league will buy a 10% share of ESPN, while Disney takes control of NFL Network and adds it to ESPN’s streaming service.

The deal also brings NFL RedZone and more live games, increasing coverage from 25 to 28 games per season. ESPN will also merge its fantasy football with the NFL’s and get long-term rights to NFL Films content.

🇬🇧 HIGHLIGHTS: LaLiga returns to Sky Sports with highlights deal

LaLiga has signed new partnerships in the UK and beyond with Sky Sports, DAZN, and Goalhanger.

Sky will show highlights on TV and its app until 2028, while Goalhanger will launch a video edition of The Rest is Football podcast hosted by Gary Lineker. DAZN will build a global LaLiga hub with free highlights and original content, even in countries without live rights.

🇩🇪 RIGHTS: Bundesliga lands in MENA with MBC Group

The Bundesliga has signed a three-year deal with MBC Group, becoming the first European football league on the MBC channels.

Three matches each week will air on MBC Action, the season opener on MBC1, and all games will stream live on Shahid. The deal also includes joint marketing campaigns to grow Bundesliga’s fan base in the region.

🇪🇸 RIGHTS: beIN Sports keeps LaLiga exclusive in MENA

beIN Sports will show all 380 LaLiga matches live and exclusive across its channels in 24 MENA markets, with coverage in Arabic, English, and French.

The broadcaster has partnered with LaLiga since 2003 and extended rights until 2028. Last season’s coverage reached 2.5B viewers. This year, beIN will also promote LaLiga’s new EA Sports Fantasy game in Arabic.

🤖 AI: SportsPro AI 2025 returns to London

SportsPro AI comes back to London on 23-24 september, focusing on the biggest challenges and opportunities in AI adoption across sport.

The event will cover generative AI, fan personalisation, sponsorship, marketing, and enterprise transformation, with insights from CTOs, C-suite leaders, and major sports organisations on how to boost engagement, drive revenue, and future-proof with AI.

🇬🇧 SPORTS: Leaders Week London 2025

From 29 September to 2 October, over 3,000 senior executives from global sport will gather in London for Leaders Week, the biggest meeting point for the sports business world.

The Summit will cover where the money is moving, how to reach modern fans, the tech driving change, and new leadership models. Expect forums, awards, masterclasses, and networking with teams, leagues, brands, and investors.

🥷 SAKAMOTO DAYS (Netflix, 18 episodes): Once the greatest hitman of all, Taro Sakamoto retired in the name of love. But when his past catches up, he must fight to protect his beloved family.

👽 Alien: Earth from Noah Hawley (Disney+, 8 episodes): When the mysterious deep space research vessel USCSS Maginot crash-lands on Earth, Wendy and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers make a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet's greatest threat.

🎒 25 years ago, Dora the Explorer premiered on Nickelodeon. Created by Chris Gifford, Valerie Walsh Valdes, and Eric Weiner, the animated series followed Dora, Boots the monkey, and her talking backpack on interactive adventures. Known for teaching kids Spanish words, problem-solving, and teamwork, Dora became a global hit and one of the most iconic children’s shows of the 2000s.