Another year has gone, and alongside celebrating a new generation of path-breakers at our awards and offering a fantastic networking opportunity, it gives me immense satisfaction to see that the ASBU BroadcastPro Summit and Awards has indeed become a central platform for MENA market leaders to reveal strategic industry news while also boldly tackling challenging […]
Another year has gone, and alongside celebrating a new generation of path-breakers at our awards and offering a fantastic networking opportunity, it gives me immense satisfaction to see that the ASBU BroadcastPro Summit and Awards has indeed become a central platform for MENA market leaders to reveal strategic industry news while also boldly tackling challenging questions in a public forum.
This year, we heard news that could potentially change the game for sports rights and broadcast in the region, though we are curious about how it will pan out in the current scenario. One CEO hinted that a sports platform is in the making in Saudi Arabia, with the intention of catering specifically to the entertainment needs of Saudi audiences, and that an announcement is likely within the next couple of months. One wonders if this will be restricted to sports, or if the Kingdom has plans to launch an entire pay-TV platform for Saudi Arabia. After all, KSA makes up 60% of the GCC TV viewership and the country drives advertising.
It may be true that at present the MENA broadcast rights to many of the world’s leading sporting events rest with beIN Sports Group, and that studio contracts for other entertainment assets lie with different pay-TV players in the region, but a time will come for renewal, and perhaps Saudi Arabia is biding its time. In the meantime, the Kingdom is raising its profile on the world stage by hosting multiple world championships. Boxing, wrestling, Formula E, a $3m tennis tournament and the highest-value horse racing in the world are already on the cards. It may not be long before we hear that Formula One is also coming to the country.
In parallel, we see a lot of fibre roll-outs in Saudi Arabia’s urban areas, and the critical mass for high-speed fibre delivery seems to have been reached. Although this has typically been a DTH-led market and is currently covered under one blanket beam, IP-based content delivery will open up the opportunity for more targeted advertising and viewership.
Could this be the future of content in the MENA region, with each country buying its own individual rights to sports and other entertainment assets? Will Saudi Arabia set the stage for this? We will know soon enough.
