Business of Sport Saudi-backed martial arts league aims for $1bn business The Middle East arm of the Professional Fighters League will be a billion-dollar entity within the next decade, according to its founder. Mixed martial arts (MMA) organisation PFL Middle East is set to launch in the second quarter of 2024, spurred by a reported $100 million cash injection from Saudi Arabia’s SRJ Sports Investments. It […] September 18, 2023
Opinion Leisure & Hospitality Gaia shouts ‘Made in Dubai’ at the world Gaia could be a rare phenomenon: a brand native to Dubai and the Middle East that goes global September 15, 2023
Leisure & Hospitality Lottoland boss hails UAE move to set up gaming regulator The entrepreneur behind the global lottery betting platform Lottoland has described the UAE’s new gaming regulatory authority as “big news”. David von Rosen-von Hoewel told AGBI that he looks forward to working with authorities to roll out lottery products in the UAE next year and beyond. “The UAE now has the chance to build the […] September 4, 2023
Lifestyle Animated film helps revive Turkish cinema An animated film about children who help aliens stranded on Earth return to their home planet has helped revive the Turkish cinema industry after it slumped during the Covid lockdown. Rafadan Tayfa: Galaktik Tayfa, the third in a series of films spun off from a popular Turkish children’s TV show, has earned $6.7 million so […] June 28, 2023
US music company taps into Saudi hip hop with new deal Abu Dhabi’s PopArabia and Nasdaq-listed Reservoir Media have bought some of the song catalogue of Saudi Arabian hip hop label Mashrex, and will jointly release new music through the specialist label. In a similar deal last September, PopArabia and Reservoir Media acquired Lebanon’s Voice of Beirut. The US company says it aims to become the […] June 21, 2023
India’s JioCinema in pricing fight with Netflix and Disney Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s streaming platform JioCinema announced premium pricing of INR999 ($12) a year, its first step to move away from a free content model to fight global rivals such as Netflix and Disney in the country. The move comes weeks after Reliance’s Viacom18 struck a content deal with Warner Bros, that will make […] May 14, 2023
Large screens and rumble seats enchant moviegoers Jason Stark’s two young sons talked excitedly for months about seeing the “The Super Mario Bros. Movie”. When the film debuted this month, he decided to make the experience a special outing. Stark took a day off from work and drove his boys, ages nine and six, about a half-hour from their Connecticut home to […] April 26, 2023
Neom UK companies set their sights on $22bn Saudi events sector Major UK firms are targeting the Saudi events sector for growth as the Gulf kingdom continues to build its reputation as a global destination. Saudi’s Ministry of Investment recently welcomed a delegation of 25 British sports events companies to explore investment opportunities. The ministry, together with the Ministry of Sports, signed cooperation agreements with ES […] March 28, 2023
UAE’s first casino resort in Ras Al Khaimah appoints builder Construction preparation work has begun on the UAE’s first casino resort project, it was confirmed on Wednesday. Wynn Resorts, which is based in Las Vegas, announced plans last year to build a casino within its multi-billion-dollar resort on Ras Al Khaimah’s Marjan Island. Set to open its doors in early 2027, the development will be […] March 22, 2023
When brands go geek: The business of Comic Con As the Middle East Film and Comic Con, the largest popular culture festival in the region, takes place this weekend, it is not just cosplay and comic fans who will be in attendance. This year big brands are upping their pop culture marketing in a bid to stay relevant to the region’s growing young geek […] March 5, 2023
Opinion Esports should be in your investment portfolio The global mobile gaming market is expected to grow to $209.12bn in 2026 February 16, 2023
Record surge in films at Berlin festival marks post-Covid revival This year’s Berlin International Film Festival marks a resurgence for the global film industry after years in the doldrums due to the Covid-19 pandemic, industry expert Scott Roxborough said on the eve of the event. While the stars who will appear on the red carpet this year – including China’s Fan Bingbing, Sean Penn, Steven […] February 16, 2023
Exclusive Fever meets growing demand for live entertainment in Gulf Fever, the live entertainment platform, is planning to expand across the Middle East after making its debut in Dubai. The company, headquartered in New York, is targeting growth in the region after raising $227 million in a funding round led by Goldman Sachs last year. It reached unicorn status with a billion-dollar valuation. Rachid Laurent […] February 16, 2023
EXCLUSIVE Interviews UAE’s centre stage in Bollywood blockbusters The UAE is set to become a major post-production and financing hub for the Bollywood film industry. Acclaimed filmmaker Shekhar Kapur told AGBI: “Infrastructure for filmmaking is coming up in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and more Indian filmmakers will come to the UAE to make their films. There are very good studio facilities in Dubai […] February 13, 2023
EXCLUSIVE Bollywood filmmaker trains camera on Gulf locations Shekhar Kapur, the filmmaker behind Elizabeth and Bandit Queen, has partly “shifted base” to Dubai and is scouting locations in the Gulf for future projects. The Indian director, who attended the Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah last December, told AGBI that the nascent film industries of Saudi Arabia and the UAE had huge potential […] February 8, 2023
Egyptian gaming startup acquires Tunisian rival Galactech Egyptian startup GBarena, an esports platform operating across the Middle East, has acquired Tunisian rival Galactech in a share swap valued at $15 million. The deal comes as GBarena prepares to close its Series A funding later this year, with participation from investors in the US, Singapore and the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) […] January 26, 2023
Dubai startup aims to disrupt Mena theme park sector Traditional, ride-based theme parks are being challenged by Dubai-based startup HyperSpace’s “physical parks for a digital world”, including AYA and House of Hype. HyperSpace opened the 40,000sq ft AYA, a digitally immersive experience park with interactive gardens, observatories and other spaces in Dubai’s Wafi Mall in December, bringing a metaverse dimension to the emirate’s entertainment […] January 26, 2023
Saudi Arabia Vision 2030 Saudi sets up fund targeting global events sector Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has launched a fund that aims to position the kingdom as a global hub for cultural, tourism, entertainment and sports events. The Events Investment Fund (EIF) will conceptualise, finance and oversee the development of more than 35 venues by 2030, diversifying the Saudi economy and “increasing its share of […] January 17, 2023
Exclusive Interviews MassiveMusic is making some noise with Middle East move “Sonic branding” is not a term many people outside the marketing industry are familiar with, especially in the Gulf region. But they may become more so, as companies increasingly adopt music strategies to reach their customers. “We know the effect that successful music can have on communication, and it is fast becoming a point of […] November 25, 2022
Opinion Dubai Bling tarnishes the emirate’s shine Netflix TV show Dubai Bling has attracted viewers and media attention but citizens and are less enamoured by its portrayal of the emirate November 16, 2022
Wizarding World of Harry Potter to be built at UAE’s Yas Island Abu Dhabi-based Miral and Warner Bros. Discovery are to build a Harry Potter-themed land within the Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi on Yas Island, the companies said in a joint statement. “The original Harry Potter stories and the blockbuster film series continue to captivate and inspire hundreds of millions of fans around the world,” Pam Lifford, president, […] November 11, 2022
Sony unit takes stake in Gulf concert promoter The founders of an agency that has played a central part in revolutionising entertainment in the Gulf said on Thursday that a tie-up with New York-based Sony Masterworks will buy the operation time and space to expand and invest. Sony has acquired 55 percent of Mac Global for an undisclosed sum, Daniel Goldberg, one of […] November 4, 2022
