The proxy war between Saudi Arabia and
Qatar has spilled over into England’s Premier League, with a Qatari broadcast
company seeking to block a Saudi Arabia-backed takeover of the Newcastle United
team.
Qatar has spilled over into England’s Premier League, with a Qatari broadcast
company seeking to block a Saudi Arabia-backed takeover of the Newcastle United
team.
The
company, beIN Media Group, the rights holder for Premier League games shown in
the Middle East, has sent a letter to all 20 teams in the league and to its
chief executive, discouraging them from allowing any sale to go through.
company, beIN Media Group, the rights holder for Premier League games shown in
the Middle East, has sent a letter to all 20 teams in the league and to its
chief executive, discouraging them from allowing any sale to go through.
The
beIN group has accused Saudi Arabia of backing a multibillion-dollar piracy
operation undermining its valuable television rights by siphoning off its
broadcast signals.
beIN group has accused Saudi Arabia of backing a multibillion-dollar piracy
operation undermining its valuable television rights by siphoning off its
broadcast signals.
The two wealthy countries are locked
in a range of political and economic disputes, stoking tension in the Middle
East. Relations soured between them in 2017 when Saudi Arabia led a regional
boycott of Qatar, accusing the gas-rich emirate of a supporting terrorism and
criticising its relationship with Iran.
in a range of political and economic disputes, stoking tension in the Middle
East. Relations soured between them in 2017 when Saudi Arabia led a regional
boycott of Qatar, accusing the gas-rich emirate of a supporting terrorism and
criticising its relationship with Iran.
The
letters, signed by beIN’s chief executive, Yousef Al-Obaidly, could turn the
Premier League into yet another battleground for the countries.
letters, signed by beIN’s chief executive, Yousef Al-Obaidly, could turn the
Premier League into yet another battleground for the countries.
The
piracy operation, known as beoutQ, which independent investigators have tied to
Saudi Arabia, is the largest in sports history, with the biggest athletic
events around the world targeted, most of which were sold to beIN, the world’s
largest buyer of sports rights.
piracy operation, known as beoutQ, which independent investigators have tied to
Saudi Arabia, is the largest in sports history, with the biggest athletic
events around the world targeted, most of which were sold to beIN, the world’s
largest buyer of sports rights.
Under the operation, beIN’s broadcasts
were transmitted via Arabsat, a regional satellite operator in which Saudi
Arabia is the biggest investor, and the beIN feed was identified with a beoutQ
logo.
were transmitted via Arabsat, a regional satellite operator in which Saudi
Arabia is the biggest investor, and the beIN feed was identified with a beoutQ
logo.
“Why
is this important? Not only has the potential acquirer of Newcastle United
caused huge damage to your club’s and the Premier League’s commercial revenues,
but the legacy of the illegal service will continue to impact you going
forward,” Al-Obaidly wrote in the letter to the clubs.
is this important? Not only has the potential acquirer of Newcastle United
caused huge damage to your club’s and the Premier League’s commercial revenues,
but the legacy of the illegal service will continue to impact you going
forward,” Al-Obaidly wrote in the letter to the clubs.
“When
the Premier League season recommences in the coming months, all of the league’s
broadcasters’ content will continue to be readily and illegally
available.”
the Premier League season recommences in the coming months, all of the league’s
broadcasters’ content will continue to be readily and illegally
available.”
In
September, an investigation financed by Fifa, two of its confederations and a
group of top European soccer leagues, including the Premier League, concluded
“without question” that Arabsat had played a vital role in the piracy
operation.
September, an investigation financed by Fifa, two of its confederations and a
group of top European soccer leagues, including the Premier League, concluded
“without question” that Arabsat had played a vital role in the piracy
operation.
Efforts to litigate against the
operation foundered after law firms in Saudi Arabia refused to represent the
affected organisations.
operation foundered after law firms in Saudi Arabia refused to represent the
affected organisations.
Until
the dispute, Saudi Arabia was by far beIN’s biggest market in the Middle East
and North Africa.
the dispute, Saudi Arabia was by far beIN’s biggest market in the Middle East
and North Africa.
Now
it is the one country in the world where Premier League content is accessible
via only illegal means: either through beIN, which has been banned in the
country since 2017, or via illegal television boxes, including beoutQ.
it is the one country in the world where Premier League content is accessible
via only illegal means: either through beIN, which has been banned in the
country since 2017, or via illegal television boxes, including beoutQ.
Very
little has been said publicly about the sale of Newcastle, but reports of an
imminent sale have increased in the past week. The Wall Street Journal in late
January first revealed talks between Newcastle’s unpopular owner, Mike Ashley,
and a group in which Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is said to be the
biggest investor.
little has been said publicly about the sale of Newcastle, but reports of an
imminent sale have increased in the past week. The Wall Street Journal in late
January first revealed talks between Newcastle’s unpopular owner, Mike Ashley,
and a group in which Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is said to be the
biggest investor.
Scepticism
about the deal remains because of the involvement of English businesswoman
Amanda Staveley and her advisory firm, PCP Capital Partners, which have been
rumoured to be on the verge of buying Newcastle for several years.
about the deal remains because of the involvement of English businesswoman
Amanda Staveley and her advisory firm, PCP Capital Partners, which have been
rumoured to be on the verge of buying Newcastle for several years.
In
January 2018, during a previous bout of speculation that linked Staveley to a
purchase, advisers close to Ashley released a statement saying there had been
“no deal on the table or even under discussion with Amanda Staveley and
PCP.”
January 2018, during a previous bout of speculation that linked Staveley to a
purchase, advisers close to Ashley released a statement saying there had been
“no deal on the table or even under discussion with Amanda Staveley and
PCP.”
“Attempts
to reach a deal with Amanda Staveley and PCP have proved exhausting,
frustrating and a complete waste of time,” the advisers said at the time.
to reach a deal with Amanda Staveley and PCP have proved exhausting,
frustrating and a complete waste of time,” the advisers said at the time.
This
time around, the talk is being taken more seriously because of recent documents
filed with the companies register for the United Kingdom that link Staveley
with the holding company through which Ashley, a retail billionaire, controls
Newcastle.
time around, the talk is being taken more seriously because of recent documents
filed with the companies register for the United Kingdom that link Staveley
with the holding company through which Ashley, a retail billionaire, controls
Newcastle.
There
has been no comment from Staveley, Newcastle, the Public Investment Fund or the
Premier League, which screens potential new investors through a process known
as the owners and directors test.
has been no comment from Staveley, Newcastle, the Public Investment Fund or the
Premier League, which screens potential new investors through a process known
as the owners and directors test.
“To
the extent the reports about the acquisition of NUFC are correct, we consider
it essential for the Premier League to fully investigate the potential acquirer
of the club, including all directors, officers and other representatives from
the KSA PIF or other Saudi Arabian entities involved in or otherwise providing
any financing for the acquisition,” Al-Obaidly wrote in a separate letter
to the Premier League’s chief executive, Richard Masters.
the extent the reports about the acquisition of NUFC are correct, we consider
it essential for the Premier League to fully investigate the potential acquirer
of the club, including all directors, officers and other representatives from
the KSA PIF or other Saudi Arabian entities involved in or otherwise providing
any financing for the acquisition,” Al-Obaidly wrote in a separate letter
to the Premier League’s chief executive, Richard Masters.
“There
appear to be several reasons such an investigation is being called for by other
parties, the letter continued. “Our request is purely based on Saudi
Arabia’s past and present theft of your and your member clubs’ intellectual
property rights.”
appear to be several reasons such an investigation is being called for by other
parties, the letter continued. “Our request is purely based on Saudi
Arabia’s past and present theft of your and your member clubs’ intellectual
property rights.”
There
has already been much scrutiny and public comment because of the potential for
Saudi state involvement in a league in which owners include the brother of Abu
Dhabi’s crown prince and a Russian oligarch close to President Vladimir Putin.
has already been much scrutiny and public comment because of the potential for
Saudi state involvement in a league in which owners include the brother of Abu
Dhabi’s crown prince and a Russian oligarch close to President Vladimir Putin.
Human
rights groups have criticised the potential sale to Saudi Arabia’s sovereign
wealth fund. Amnesty International’s UK director, Kate Allen, also wrote a
letter to Masters, the Premier League’s chief executive.
rights groups have criticised the potential sale to Saudi Arabia’s sovereign
wealth fund. Amnesty International’s UK director, Kate Allen, also wrote a
letter to Masters, the Premier League’s chief executive.
“Unless
the Premier League pauses and looks seriously at the human rights situation in
Saudi Arabia, it risks becoming a patsy,” Allen wrote, warning Masters not
to allow the league to be used for what she described as
“sportswashing” by Saudi Arabia.
the Premier League pauses and looks seriously at the human rights situation in
Saudi Arabia, it risks becoming a patsy,” Allen wrote, warning Masters not
to allow the league to be used for what she described as
“sportswashing” by Saudi Arabia.
“How
can this be positive for the reputation and image of the Premier League?”
Allen wrote.
can this be positive for the reputation and image of the Premier League?”
Allen wrote.
Human
rights groups have previously made the same criticism of Qatar’s interests in
soccer, which include ownership of the Paris St-Germain team and the hosting
rights to the 2022 World Cup.
rights groups have previously made the same criticism of Qatar’s interests in
soccer, which include ownership of the Paris St-Germain team and the hosting
rights to the 2022 World Cup.
For
the majority of Newcastle fans, the prospect of a wealthy owner to replace
Ashley, an unpopular figure for years, has been a welcome one. Fans have taken
to social media expressing support for the idea and even changed their profiles
to include the Saudi Arabian flag or the image of Crown Prince Mohammed bin
Salman.
the majority of Newcastle fans, the prospect of a wealthy owner to replace
Ashley, an unpopular figure for years, has been a welcome one. Fans have taken
to social media expressing support for the idea and even changed their profiles
to include the Saudi Arabian flag or the image of Crown Prince Mohammed bin
Salman.
