Business of Sport Oman Air and Chelsea FC ‘terminate sponsorship deal’ A sponsorship deal between Oman Air and English Premier League club Chelsea FC has reportedly been terminated less than a year after it was signed. The three-year agreement was believed to be worth about £2 million ($2.5 million) a year and was announced last July. The partnership, which made the flag carrier the club’s global […] March 11, 2024
Analysis Business of Sport Saudi Arabia gives boxing a chance to reinvent itself World heavyweight champion Tyson Fury is no stranger to hyperbole. Thus only a few eyebrows were raised when he boldly claimed that boxing would be “dead” if it wasn’t for Saudi Arabia. The sport was looking decidedly punch-drunk before Saudi Arabia entered the ring almost six years ago. The first boxing card in Jeddah that […] March 7, 2024
Business of Sport Baseball United to launch Saudi franchises Professional baseball teams are to be launched in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam as part of plans by Baseball United to expand into Saudi Arabia. Baseball United was unveiled in August last year with ambitious proposals to launch the first professional baseball league in the Middle East, focusing initially on matches in the UAE, then Qatar, […] March 6, 2024
Business of Sport Qiddiya’s new racetrack bids for world motorsports crown Saudi giga-project Qiddiya will host a new racetrack in an attempt to become one of the world’s top motorsport venues. Located in Qiddiya city, the speed park track is slated to host the world’s most prestigious racing events, Qiddiya Investment Company, the project developer, said in a statement. Designed by Austrian former Formula One driver […] March 6, 2024
Business of Sport Saudi wealth fund becomes sponsor for ATP Tour Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund has become the official naming partner of the ATP rankings, part of its wider sponsorship of men’s tennis governing body. The Public Investment Fund will partner with ATP Tour events in Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Beijing and the Nitto ATP Finals, in addition to the Next Gen ATP Finals, hosted […] February 29, 2024
Opinion Business of Sport Why cricket could be next on the list for Saudi Arabia’s PIF Saudi Arabia wants sports with mass participation, rich histories and big economies February 27, 2024
Business of Sport Emirates airline signs big US basketball sponsorship deal Emirates, the Dubai airline, has signed a sponsorship deal with the National Basketball Association in the United States that will see the NBA’s in-season tournament renamed the Emirates NBA Cup. Emirates will become the association’s official airline partner and referees’ kits will feature the airline’s logo. The airline’s patch will also be featured on the […] February 8, 2024
Leisure & Hospitality Saudi Arabia nears deal to create new cycling league SRJ Sports Investments, wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), has backed a new cycling league, Reuters reported, citing three people familiar with the matter. The company, founded last year, is negotiating a potential investment of €250 million ($270 million) in the venture, which is spearheaded by major European cycling teams. If successful, this […] February 4, 2024
Business of Sport Sobha Realty strikes sponsorship deal with Arsenal Dubai real estate developer Sobha Realty has secured the naming rights for the training ground of English Premier League football club Arsenal. Arsenal’s facility in Hertfordshire will be known as the Sobha Realty Training Centre. It is the first time the naming rights have been sold. The deal is part of Sobha’s plan to expand […] February 2, 2024
Opinion Business of Sport Saudi Arabia should saddle up for soft power of horses There is a strong rationale for the kingdom to take equestrian pursuits seriously February 2, 2024
Business of Sport Saudi’s PIF ‘in talks’ to invest in British rugby Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is said to be in talks to buy stakes in four British rugby clubs. British media has reported that discussions are taking place to pay a total of £60 million ($76 million) for shares in a quartet of top-tier clubs: Gloucester, Leicester Tigers, Newcastle Falcons and Northampton Saints. This […] February 1, 2024
Leisure & Hospitality Fitness brands shape up for Saudi expansion plans GymNation, founded in Dubai, has revealed plans to open 50 new fitness centres in Saudi Arabia as it seeks to capitalise on the kingdom’s billion-dollar fitness industry. The mid-market brand was set up six years ago and currently operates 11 gyms in the emirate, with a further six set to open before the summer. Founder […] February 1, 2024
Business of Sport Seven launches Formula E branded indoor karting venues Saudi Entertainment Ventures (Seven), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), and London-headquartered Formula E will jointly build multiple Formula E-branded indoor karting venues across the kingdom. The Formula E karting attractions are set to be built at four of Seven entertainment destinations in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Abha. Each attraction will […] January 28, 2024
Business of Sport Saudi ‘golden ball’ rule cues up snooker controversy Saudi Arabia will host its first major snooker tournament in Riyadh in March, though the deal has aroused controversy because of a new “golden ball” rule. The Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker is the latest in a series of top sports events the kingdom is organising during the first months of 2024. The Riyadh […] January 23, 2024
Leisure & Hospitality PIF’s new deal to spark surge in e-motorsports Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has announced a multi-year partnership with Formula E, Extreme E and E1 powerboat racing to boost the profile of sustainable electric motorsports in the kingdom. The Electric 360 programme is part of the sovereign fund’s carbon reduction initiatives. PIF ranks first in the Middle East for sustainability among the […] January 23, 2024
Business of Sport Saudi Arabia clinches martial arts champions contest Saudi Arabia has signed a contract this week to host the first ever showdown between mixed martial arts champions of the Professional Fighters League (PFL) and Bellator MMA, the American mixed martial arts promotion. The fights at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena on February 24 are part of the country’s push to be at the forefront of […] January 18, 2024
ANALYSIS Economy From sports to oil cuts: Saudi Arabia’s year in review As the curtain comes down on 2023 and Saudi Arabia moves closer to its Vision 2030 deadline, AGBI looks back at the highlights and notable events of the past twelve months in the kingdom. Saudi Arabia wins hosting rights for major events Saudi Arabia’s drive to draw global attention to its development efforts scored important […] January 1, 2024
Business of Sport ADQ signs sponsorship pact with Egyptian football club Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ has signed a multi-year sponsorship agreement with Pyramids Football Club (Pyramids FC), an Egyptian Premier League professional sports club. The fund will be the official partner of Pyramids FC, reinforcing ADQ’s position as a long-term investor in Egypt. The financial details of the deal were not given. Since its establishment and […] December 31, 2023
Giga-projects Qiddiya to host first gaming district in Saudi Arabia The Qiddiya giga-project, near Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh, will host the first multi-use gaming and e-sports district in Saudi Arabia. The kingdom is striving to become a global gaming and sports centre by 2030. The upcoming gaming and e-sports district, which is claimed to be the first in the world, is part of the launch […] December 15, 2023
Tourism Golf course emerges from the desert at Diriyah giga-project Saudi Arabia is developing a luxury golf and equestrian resort outside Riyadh as part of the Diriyah giga-project, with three major hotel brands announcing this week that they were taking part. Aman, Oberoi and Six Senses are the first hotels to start construction in the mountainous rocky land on the edge of the desert west […] December 14, 2023
Business of Sport Qatari owners of PSG sell minority stake in French club The Qatari owners of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) will sell a minority stake in the French football club to US investment group Arctos Partners. No details were disclosed in the official statement. However, the Financial Times reported that the talks started a year ago and Arctos will buy up to 12.5 percent, citing two informed sources. […] December 8, 2023
Business of Sport Red Bull’s Max Verstappen wins Abu Dhabi GP Red Bull’s triple world champion Max Verstappen wrapped up Formula One’s most dominant season with a record-extending 19th win in 22 races at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday. The pole-to-flag victory, for the fourth year in a row under the Yas Marina floodlights, left the 26-year-old alone in third place in Formula […] November 27, 2023