Who would have thought that in just a few years, Saudi Arabia would emerge as a global epicenter for football, featuring some of the sport’s most legendary players?
And it’s not just football, the kingdom has amplified its emphasis on promoting other sports in the country, from motorsports such as the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to the thrilling boxing showdowns of WWR. The Kingdom is rapidly solidifying its position as the leading Middle Eastern hub for top-tier sporting events.
This is in line with Vision 2030’s goals to diversify the country’s economy and promote tourism through new avenues such as sports and entertainment.
With Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the World Cup in 2034, its ambition to continue attracting elite sports players, and the growing popularity of women’s sports, Saudi Arabia’s emerging sports landscape presents brands with unlimited opportunities to connect with sports-loving audiences in the region.
UNRIVALED REACH AND INFLUENCE OF SPORTS
At MBC Media Solutions (MMS) we recognise the immense reach of sports. A top Saudi football league match airing on a Saudi Sport Company (SSC) channel reaches 4.5 million viewers on TV and 856 million video views across all its social media channels.
A high performing sports show airing on MBC Group’s TV channels reaches an average of 7.8 million viewers and +1.5 billion video views across all social media channels.
On Al Arabiya news channel, a top performing sports show reaches 2.5 million viewers during football season and over 84 million views on social media.
Sports shows broadcast on radio also garner significant reach, with a top performing sports show on MBC Group’s radio channels reaching five million listeners.
INTRODUCING MMS SPORTS
This growing sports landscape presents endless opportunities for brands to connect with audiences, which is why we launched MMS Sports.
MMS Sports brings together the most prestigious sporting events, matches, and shows airing on SSC, MBC Group and Al Arabiya under one umbrella for clients and brands to leverage the unmatched reach and influence of their sports programming.
Our goal is to provide unparalleled opportunities for brands to connect with the vast and passionate sports-loving audiences across MENA, whether they’re tuning in via TV, Shahid VoD platform, radio, digital or social media.
With MMS Sports, brands have the unique opportunity to leverage the unrivaled reach of sports programming to elevate their brand presence and connect with consumers on a deeper level.
MMS SPORTS’ OFFERING
With MMS Sports, brands can explore vast opportunities to connect with sports viewers in MENA in one go. Through SSC, brands can be part of premier Saudi and international football leagues such as the Roshn Saudi League, King’s Saudi Cup, Saudi Women’s Premier League, Copa del Rey, and Liga Portugal.
These leagues feature top stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Karim Benzema. Beyond football, brands can engage with other major sporting events broadcast by SSC, which offers 3,500 live coverages across its nine channels, including Extreme E, World Rally Championship and Professional Fighters League.
MMS Sports also offers sports shows airing across MBC Group and Al Arabiya’s TV, radio, Shahid, and social media platforms, including TV channels like MBC1, MBC Action, MBC Masr (for Egyptian audiences), MBC 5 (for Moroccan audiences), and Al Arabiya. Radio channels include MBC FM, MBC Panorama, Loud FM, and Al Arabiya.
These sports shows feature highlights and commentary from fan-favourite sports commentators and presenters, covering top Saudi competitions and the world’s most popular leagues, tournaments, and matches.
UNTAPPED OPPORTUNITIES IN WOMEN SPORTS
The growing popularity of women in sports in Saudi Arabia and the region presents a golden chance for brands in the Kingdom and region.
The remarkable success of the Saudi Women’s Premier League in its inaugural season highlights a significant untapped potential in women’s sports. With the league set to be even bigger and better in the 2024-25 season, there is a growing enthusiasm among female sports fans.
This trend mirrors the global surge in popularity of women’s football, especially following the outstanding success of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 in Australia and New Zealand.
Currently, 32 per cent of viewers on SSC sports channels are women, and this number is expected to rise. In response, SSC has introduced Almal’ab Mal’abna, which is a dedicated sports shows that cater specifically to female audiences.
The momentum behind women’s sports presents a unique opportunity for brands to connect with this demographic to build strong, meaningful relationships with female audiences and creating authentic engagements that resonate with the aspirations of women in sports.
With the introduction of MMS Sports, our goal is to provide brands with the opportunity to thrive alongside this growing sports landscape.
