Saudi Arabia is to invest $1 billion (€0.95bn) in DAZN and a forming new JV with the sports streaming service owned by Sir Leonard Blavatnik, as the country doubles up its bet on the global sports market. Surj Sports Investment, the sporting arm of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), will acquire a “single-digit” minority […]

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is reportedly close to agreeing a $1 billion (€0.97bn) acquisition of a 10 per cent stake in sports streaming platform DAZN. A deal could be announced as early as this January, according to Bloomberg, with the PIF’s sports arm, SURJ Sports Investment, representing the potential minority investors. An agreement […]

The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) is having a hard time getting some of its member states to observe its regulations. Two problems are paramount: The first is the regulation of so-called ‘space debris’ whether dying satellites or collision avoidance obligations. The second concerns the deliberate jamming of certain TV signals which includes the rules governing […]

DAZN, the sports streaming service, has signed a three-year deal with Saudi-based production facilities company, Alamiya Media, which will provide broadcast facilities and resources for DAZN’s broadcasting of Riyadh Season events in the Middle East. Under the terms of the partnership, Alamiya Media will supply broadcast facilities in Saudi Arabia and be the preferred supplier […]

La Liga has announced the opening of a workspace in the Saudi Pro League (SPL) headquarters in Riyadh. This strategic initiative is part of La Liga’s ongoing efforts to expand its footprint in Saudi Arabia and aligns with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which emphasises sports development as a key pillar for national growth. The new […]

Omdia analysis has revealed the MENA cinema market is poised for substantial revenue growth, projected to increase from $900 million (€847.1m) in 2024 to $1.5 billion by 2029. Saudi Arabia is expected to play a pivotal role, contributing nearly two-thirds of the region’s cinema revenue by 2029. Screen growth in the Middle East has overtaken […]

DAZN, the sports streaming platform, and Saudi Pro League’s Al-Nassr FC have announced that Nassr TV is live as a dedicated channel, available for free and exclusively on the DAZN app. Users around the world will be able to enjoy a range of programming on Nassr TV – including exclusive access to club updates, player […]

SES Open Orbits, SES’s global inflight connectivity network, has been selected by Thai Airways and Turkish Airlines to equip aircraft across their fleets with in-flight connectivity (IFC) solutions, supporting both linefit and retrofit installations. These new IFC services are delivered by SES along with one of its key SES Open Orbits connectivity service partners, Neo […]

Neom is a $500 billion (€449.6bn) megacity being built in northwest Saudi Arabia and a key part is the studio and media complex. But now the WSJ has made allegations that MD of media, Wayne Borg, has been recorded making racist and misogynistic comments. Borg reportedly called the project’s blue-collar workers from the Indian subcontinent […]

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that it has partnered with the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Saudi Arabia to host the inaugural Olympic Esports Games 2025 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This step follows the IOC’s recent announcement that the IOC Executive Board (EB) has established Olympic Esports Games. The proposal will […]