A firm denial from the Saudi League Association
The Saudi Professional League has put an end to the recent controversy surrounding the future of its global television broadcasts. Mr. Omar Batterjee, the league's Director of Corporate Communications and Media, categorically denied rumors that foreign channels had withdrawn from covering the league's matches. This denial came in response to speculation linking the absence of Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo from his team Al-Nassr's last match to an alleged decline in global media interest.
In an interview with the program “In 90,” Batarji confirmed that the reality was the complete opposite of these rumors, explaining: “There is no truth to the talk about any channel withdrawing. The number of foreign channels is increasing year after year.” He added that last summer witnessed a qualitative leap, not only in the increase in the number of broadcasting channels, but also in the nature of the contracts, which have become long-term, reflecting the confidence of international partners in the Saudi football product and its growing value.
General context: A global boom led by stars
These rumors come at a time when the Saudi League is undergoing a historic transformation as part of the Kingdom's Vision 2030. Since the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr in late 2022, the world's attention has turned to Saudi stadiums. Ronaldo's transfer was not a mere sporting event; it was the spark that ignited a massive project to attract the world's top football stars. He was quickly followed in the summer of 2023 by a constellation of big names such as Karim Benzema, Neymar Jr., Sadio Mané, and Riyad Mahrez, raising the league's technical and marketing value to unprecedented levels.
Importance and impact: From local to global
The presence of this number of stars has not only raised the level of competition locally, but has also opened up vast global horizons. Before this boom, the Saudi League was broadcast only in a limited number of countries, while today, Roshan League matches are broadcast in more than 170 countries around the world via dozens of international television networks. This massive reach did not come about by chance, but is a direct result of the appeal added by these stars, who possess a fan base estimated in the hundreds of millions. Therefore, the absence of a player of Ronaldo's stature from one or two matches, despite its immediate impact, cannot shake confidence in the long-term strategic project built by the League with its international partners, who have invested in a comprehensive vision that transcends any single player.
Petrji’s statement confirms that the development wheel in the Roshan League is moving forward, and that global interest is not linked to the presence of a particular player, but rather to the strength of the competition as a whole and to the ambitious sports project led by the Kingdom, which aims to make the Saudi League one of the 10 strongest leagues in the world.
