[Exclusive] Eight Years On, How Has Vision 2030 Transformed the Saudi Pro League (SPL)?

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Firstly, how is MSKhan Lab contributing to realizing the grandeur vision of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region?

The Gulf's economic rise should prompt its economists to meet the moment

“The global debate on what policies are most supportive of economic growth is a fierce and persistently unresolved one. Economists have the opportunity to make a valuable contribution to the public discourse, yet too often many of them in the Middle East, including in the Gulf, tend to be silent bystanders. For the GCC countries to fulfil their economic potential, their homegrown scholars need to play a more decisive role in their respective journeys.

Throughout history, countries experiencing a period of economic growth produce scholars famed for analysing and sharing that experience globally. The UK’s 18th-century industrialisation inspired the Scottish economist Adam Smith, followed by the English economist Alfred Marshall, who witnessed the 19th-century British-led explosion in global trade. The US’s economic success in the 20th century yielded luminaries such as Robert Solow and Merton Miller, while Abhijit Banerjee and Jagdish Bhagwati are both closely associated with India’s economic rise.

Notably, societies benefit from having their homegrown scholars produce high-quality analysis in real time. Periods of accelerated growth are frequently associated with policy innovation, meaning that policymakers are experimenting with new development paradigms rather than simply adhering to a linear recipe. Local minds support the process of refining these policies by using their expertise, especially if they have sound knowledge of the history of economic growth elsewhere in the world.”

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Overview

Prize Money (Champions)

• The prize money (champions) increased by 32% (SAR 10 million) from SAR 30.8 million (2016/17 ALJPL) to SAR 40.8 million (2023/24 RSL).

Foreign Referee Crew

• The cost for a soccer club to access the services of a foreign referee crew for a single fixture increased by 30% (SAR 40 thousand) from SAR 135 thousand (2016/17 ALJPL) to SAR 175 thousand (2023/24 RSL).

Transfer Fees

• The transfer fees committed by SPL over the last decade (2015-2024) was EUR 2.09 billion. The net transfer spending of the league over that same period was (-) EUR 1.81 billion.

• The league spent a record USD 957 million during the 2023 summer transfer window, with a net spend of USD 907 million.

[2016/17 ALJPL] Mascot

2016/17 ALJPL Mascot Jameel [Source (Website): SOSFactory]. 2023/24 RSL Mascot [To Be Confirmed (TBC)].

[2023/24 RSL] Privatization

Saudi Arabia passes four domestic football teams to sovereign fund (2023)

“The Saudi government has handed ownership of four top domestic football teams to its deep-pocketed sovereign wealth fund, putting increased financial firepower behind the country’s ambitious plans in the sport.

The Public Investment Fund said on Monday that Al Ittihad, Al Ahli, Al Hilal and Al Nassr — where Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo plays — had been converted into corporate entities, having previously been run by the state.² The $600bn fund will own 75 per cent of each of the four clubs, with the remaining shares held by new non-profit foundations.

The Saudi Press Agency said the changes at the four clubs were aimed at enticing investment into the sport, improving competitiveness in the league, and making the game more professional and financially sustainable. Riyadh wants the Saudi Pro League to be one of the top 10 leagues in the world and hopes the privatisation project will help quadruple annual revenue in the league to 1.8bn rials ($480mn), SPA said.”

[2023/24 RSL] Documentary

• Symphony

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Attendance

Attendance for SPL matches between “Big Four” (Al-Ahli, Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Nassr)

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Partners and Sponsors

The annual title sponsorship deal value decreased by 20% (SAR 24.4 million). The number of partners and sponsors increased by 88% (7).

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Broadcasting

• 2016/17 ALJPL Domestic and Regional Broadcasters

  • MBC

  • Al-Riyadiyah

• 2023/24 RSL Domestic, Regional, and International Broadcasters

  2023/24 ROSHN Saudi League [Saudi Pro League (SPL)] Commercial Guide

• The annual domestic and regional broadcasting income decreased by 21% (SAR 110 million) from SAR 410 million (2016/17 ALJPL) to SAR 300 million (2023/24 RSL).

• The annual international broadcasting income for the 2023/24 RSL was USD 15 million.³

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Ticketing

• 2016/17 ALJPL Ticketing Platform

  • Makani

• 2023/24 RSL Ticketing Platforms

  [Mini Ticket Guide] How much does it cost to watch a football match in West Asia?

• All 2023/24 RSL tickets were sold online while selected 2016/17 ALJPL tickets were sold online.⁴

• Ticket Price [Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal (Riyadh Derby)]

  • The minimum ticket price increased by 75% (SAR 30) from SAR 40 (2016/17 ALJPL) to SAR 70 (2023/24 RSL).

  • The maximum ticket price increased by 4,066% (SAR 60,989) from SAR 1,500 (2016/17 ALJPL) to SAR 62,489 (2023/24 RSL).

2016/17 ALJPL Riyadh derby tickets. Source (Website): Arriyadiyah

Al-Hilal fans queuing up to get tickets to the Riyadh derby in 2017. Source (Website): Arriyadiyah

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Teams

Al-Ahli

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Al-Ettifaq

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Al-Fateh

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Al-Hilal

Al-Hilal’s leading marksman Salem Al-Dawsari in 2016 and 2023. Source [X (formerly Twitter)]: Alhilal_FC (1) and Alhilal_FC (2)

Al-Hilal Jersey

• The price of the Al-Hilal jersey remained unchanged.

  • 2016/17 = AED 399

  • 2023/24 = AED 395

Al-Hilal Annual Wage Bill (Foreigners)

• The annual wage bill (foreigners) increased by 2500% (USD 250 million).

  • 2016/17 (4 players) = USD 10 million

  • 2023/24 (10 players) = USD 260 million

[2016/17 ALJPL] Al-Hilal Partners and Sponsors

• Mobily’s partnership with Al-Hilal extended for ten years (2008-2017) and was valued at around SAR 500 million.

  • In 2016, Mobily launched “Al-Zaeem” package for Al-Hilal fans at SAR 30/month. Benefits of the package included 120 free minutes (within Mobily network) if Al-Hilal won a match and “Blue Wave” (Al-Hilal) ringtone.

• Volkswagen’s multi-year partnership with Al-Hilal was valued at around SAR 120 million. As part of the deal, Al-Hilal received a fixed percentage of each vehicle sold in the Kingdom.

• Abdul Samad Al-Qurashi launched a fragrance [Blue Oud/Oud Al-Hilal (TBC)] as part of its partnership with Al-Hilal. The multi-year deal was initially valued at SAR 70 million and also included similar benefits to the Volkswagen deal.

Sun & Sand Sports and Al Hilal FC announce league sponsorship (2016)

“It is worth noting that 30% of ‘Sun & Sand Sports’ business is in Saudi Arabia; where it has 17 stores now and planning to open additional stores in the next few years. Furthermore, The company’s expansion plans come in line with the growth of the retail sector in the Kingdom that reached 13% last year and is expected to reach 14% by 2020 according to Euromonitor International numbers.”

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Al-Ittihad

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Al-Khaleej

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Al-Nassr

Al-Nassr Annual Wage Bill (Foreigners)

• The annual wage bill (foreigners) increased by 7100% (USD 355 million).

  • 2016/17 (4 players) = USD 5 million

  • 2023/24 (10 players) = USD 360 million

[2016/17 ALJPL] Al-Nassr Partners and Sponsors

• The partnership between Mobily and Al-Nassr was valued at SAR 20 million.

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Al-Raed

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Al-Shabab

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Al-Taawoun

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Al-Wehda

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Manufactured Destination Sports Programming

2016/17

1. [Qatar Airways - Match of Champions] Al-Ahli (KSA) vs FC Barcelona (ESP) at Al-Gharafa Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on December 13, 2016

   

   Match Report. Source [X (formerly Twitter)]: AlAhli_FC

   1. Attendance = 18,126

   2. Broadcasters

      1. Al-Kass

      2. Al-Riyadiyah

   3. Partners and Sponsors

      1. Title and Presenting Sponsors

         1. Qatar Airways

         2. Visit Qatar (Qatar Tourism)

      2. Strategic Partners

         1. Qatar Football Association

         2. Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy

      3. Official Partner

         1. Katara Hospitality

      4. Partners

         1. Nissan

         2. (TBC)

         3. Ooredoo

   4. Ticket Categories and Prices

      

      Ticket Counter. Source [X (formerly Twitter)]: QFA

      1. CAT 2 = QAR 100

      2. CAT 1 = QAR 200

      3. Very Important Person (VIP) = QAR 300

Al-Ahli’s pop-up store at Hamad International Airport. Source (Website): Arriyadiyah

2. [Al-Ittihad’s 90th Anniversary Celebration] Al-Ittihad (KSA) vs Atletico Madrid (ESP) at Al-Jawharah Stadium in Jeddah, KSA, on December 30, 2016

Ticket Category and Price. Source [X (formerly Twitter)]: Ittihad

Ticket Category and Price. Source [X (formerly Twitter)]: Ittihad

Buy-One(Al-Ittihad Jersey)-Get-One(Ticket)-Free! Source (Website): Arriyadiyah

Geographical distribution of tickets purchased on the Makani platform. Source [X (formerly Twitter)]: MakaniSaudiPost

Partners and Sponsors. Source [X (formerly Twitter)]: Ittihad

2023/24

1. Riyadh Season

[Riyadh Season 2023] How much does it cost to watch Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi in Riyadh?

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[2016/17] Suite at Al-Jawharah Stadium, Jeddah

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The stadium owner and operator generated SAR 900 thousand in revenue from suite rental in the 2016/17 season. Source [X (formerly Twitter)]: SPL

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How to resell tickets (legally) in the GCC region?

• Subscribe to WeBook.

Source (Website): WeBook

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SPL Coverage by MSKhan Lab

[Mega Edition] 2024 Sports and Esports Seasons in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)

Grab your season ticket now to watch Cristiano Ronaldo live in Riyadh!

[Supplementary Edition] Sports and Esports Cards in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)

[Exclusive] Saudi Pro League (SPL) "Big Four" Merchandise in Riyadh and Indian Premier League (IPL) Merchandise in Dubai

[Special Edition] How much do fans have to shell out to watch top-tier sporting action in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)?

[Exclusive] Saudi Pro League (SPL) "Big Four" Fandom

[Exclusive] How many fans turn up to watch a Saudi Pro League (SPL) club in action?

[MSKhan Lab in NYT] The Dawn of a New Era of Intellectual Capital in the Middle East Sports Industry

[Special Edition] NBA, Saudi Pro League (SPL), Premier League (PL), and Gaming in the UAE

[Must Read] A power-packed edition featuring MSKhan Lab's first on-the-ground report and KSA's esports and gaming strategy

[Midweek Exclusive] Interview

[Special Edition] Sponsorships in the Saudi Pro League (SPL), Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, and Real Madrid in Dubai

[Mini Ticket Guide] How much does it cost to watch a football match in West Asia?

2023/24 ROSHN Saudi League [Saudi Pro League (SPL)] Commercial Guide

LinkedIn

• 📈The ticket prices of soccer matches in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) have skyrocketed!

• 👕Which sportswear brands are the biggest soccer kit suppliers in The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) region?

• ⚽Who are the naming rights sponsors of top-flight soccer leagues in The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) region?

• 🏟Book tickets for the much-anticipated King’s Cup Final (Riyadh derby) on webook.com We're All About Fun

• 🎟Sports Tickets in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)

• 🎟The official resale ticket prices for tonight's "Big Four" showdown between two Saudi Pro League (SPL) heavyweights - Al-Ahli Saudi FC (Jeddah) and نادي الهلال السعودي - Al-Hilal Saudi Club (Riyadh).

• 🏟Has the "superstar-acquisition" model adopted by the soccer clubs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) translated into large away match attendances in the 2023/24 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL)?

• ⚽[MSKhan Lab (as seen in The New York Times and The National) Update] Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) Soccer

• 🤝PepsiCo X ROSHN l روشن Saudi League [Saudi Pro League (SPL)]

• ⚽“History never repeats itself, but it does often rhyme.” - Mark Twain

• ⚽[Exclusive] How much does the most expensive ticket in the 2023/24 ROSHN l روشن Saudi League [Saudi Pro League (SPL)] cost?

• 🏟Ticket prices at Alawwal (SAB) Park, home to Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr (نادي النصر السعودي - ALNASSR Saudi Club)

• 👕The back-of-shirt, sleeve, and shorts sponsors of football clubs participating in the 2023/24 ROSHN l روشن Saudi League [Saudi Pro League (SPL)]

• 👕The front-of-shirt sponsor(s) of football clubs participating in the 2023/24 ROSHN l روشن Saudi League [Saudi Pro League (SPL)]

• 👕The kit suppliers of football clubs participating in the 2023/24 ROSHN l روشن Saudi League [Saudi Pro League (SPL)]

• ⚽Last night, seven out of eleven football players in the Al-Ittihad Club Company (Al-Ittihad) starting lineup were foreign players

• 🏆The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) Football Update

• ⚽Tonight, Al-Ittihad Club Company will host نادي النصر السعودي - ALNASSR Saudi Club at King Abdullah Sports City (KASC) Stadium [Jeddah (KSA)] in the 2022/23 ROSHN l روشن Saudi Pro League (SPL).

• 📢The وزارة الثقافة Ministry of Culture (KSA) has started recording and documenting the fan anthems, chants, and songs of the football clubs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

• ⚽Cristiano Ronaldo's transfer to نادي النصر السعودي - ALNASSR Saudi Club is music to the ears of the brands sponsoring the football club for the 2022/23 season

1. Source (YouTube): ALJ League 2016-2017 - National Day KSA

2. All 2016/17 ALJPL teams were run by the state. Interestingly, privatization was looming for these clubs in 2016/17 season too!

Also, rest of the 2023/24 RSL teams were still run by the state.

3. SPL did not sell its international broadcasting rights for the 2016/17 ALJPL.

4. Majority of the 2016/17 ALJPL physical tickets were sold via ticket counters at stadiums.

5. Source [X (formerly Twitter)]: SPL