Saudi Arabian clubs sign world's best footballers, time now to justify it

Saudi Arabia’s top football division, the Saudi Pro League, kicked off over the weekend with Al Ahli, one of the four clubs which has the financial backing of the country’s sovereign wealth fund - Public Investment Fund (PIF), beating Al Hazem 3-1. Brazilian forward Roberto Firmino scored a hat-trick on his debut. If there was one way to keep the headlines going about the Saudi football league, the former Liverpool star had done just that. The glittering star cast also featured Riyad Mahrez, Allain Saint Maximin, Franck Kessie and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. Despite the growing accusations of sportswashing, Saudi Arabia has acquired the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Sadio Mane, N’Golo Kante and Neymar while being told a polite ’no’ by Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe. The total outlay this summer alone, as per Transfermarkt, stands at €605.92 million - ahead of Spain’s top division. “Saudi Arabia aspires to be like the English Premier League,” said Simon Chadwick, professor of Sport and Geopolitical Economy at Skema Business School in Paris. “The media is paying attention,” he told news agency AFP. “I’m aware of people now asking the question: where can I watch the Saudi Pro League?”. After Ronaldo joined Al Nassr last year, in what seemed like a holiday destination for the Portuguese player at that point, Sony Sports Network acquired the broadcast rights in the Indian subcontinent. According to SportBusiness Media Rights Tracker, the league had 28 international deals and generated revenue of about $710,000 last year. The deals for this season have increased to 130 territories with rates reportedly four times than before. Bloomberg News reported DAZN acquired the rights for about $500,000 and will broadcast games in multiple territories such as UK, Germany and Australia. Agreements have also been struck with Canal+, SPOTV etc. to cover France, Africa, South Korea, South East Asia and more. “These agreements come at a time of genuine growth for Saudi Arabian football, with growing interest in the Roshn Saudi league from football fans all around the world,” Saudi Pro League interim chief executive officer Saad Allazeez had said in a statement. The largely young population, 70 percent under 35 years old, thronged the stadiums last season. Attendance at Al Nassr games grew by 143 percent after Ronaldo joined. That is expected to continue and only grow this season. Saudi Arabia’s substantial investment in sports serve a dual purpose: diversify the oil-rich nation’s potential and enhance its international image. Crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman has set aims at improving the reputation of the kingdom in the eyes of the world and its own young population. The focus is not restricted to sports. There are plans to host 25 world championships across a number of sports by 2030 - including the FIFA World Cup in 2030 or 2034. ‘Vision 2030’ plans to divert Saudi Arabia’s economy away from fossil fuels and invite investments in the sports sector. The aim is to triple the league’s market value through a combination of commercial revenue and private-sector investment. Since Ronaldo arrived, ticket prices have gone up to Saudi Riyal (SAR) 150 (₹3,300), having previously been around SAR 10 (₹220). While delivering the best players on the planet, another objective being achieved is that the royals are keeping the youngsters off their backs. As per a report, there have been more arrests this year for posting negative comments about the government than before. Saudi Pro League earlier had Ronaldo’s video pinned to their Twitter feed. In the video, viewed over two million times, he says: “Riyadh is one of the best places I have ever seen, with the most quality restaurants. With what the country is building for the future — I like to see different things, try different things. This is why I am here.” The message from Neymar, who moved to Al Hilal from PSG, had the same energy to influence. “I want to write new sporting history, and the Saudi Pro League has tremendous energy and quality players at the moment. I have heard a lot and learned that I am following a long list of Brazilian players who have played in Saudi Arabia over the years, so I believe it is the desired place. “Al Hilal is a giant club with fantastic fans, and it is the best in Asia. This gives me a feeling that it is the right decision for me at the right time with the right club. I love winning and scoring goals, and I plan to continue doing that in Saudi Arabia and with Al Hilal.” Beyond just the club football, the focus is also on the national team and hosting the World Cup. A World Cup in the Middle East seemed improbable for multiple reasons until Qatar did it last year. Saudi Arabia won’t shy away from expressing their ambitions and it brings with it soft power opportunities. Is it sustainable? Amid the massive spending, the question is: Will the outlay be restricted to this season or continue season-on-season? Can it be sustainable? Chinese Super League (CSL) showcased similar ambitions by bringing in the likes of Oscar, Hulk, Graziano Pelle, Miranda, and Yannick Carrasco. But what sets Saudi Pro League apart is the variety in signings - from the likes of 35-years-plus Ronaldo and Benzema to rising talents Seko Fofana, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (28), Allan Saint-Maximin, Ruben Neves (26) and Jota (24). Another way Saudi league could stand apart from China’s is in targeting and focusing on mingling sports with tourism. Giants steps have been taken by a kingdom which was otherwise living in the 60s. Just five years go, it allowed its first non-Muslim tourists and women to drive. Now, the target should be to drive attendance and hope the fans arrive in numbers. Crucially, SPL have a case study in CSL in how not to run a league that is aiming to rival the biggies of Europe. A cohesive strategy is required to ensure the league remains attractive, especially with investments going to four clubs, and is competitive continentally - in the Asian Champions League - and maybe globally - at the FIFA Club World Cup.