There’s news today that may impact the acquisition of Newcastle United by the Amanda Staveley led coalition.
The Saudi Arabia General Authority for Competition (GAC) have “permanently terminated” beIN Sports’ license to any future broadcasting in Saudi Arabia.
They have also fined the sports channel 10M million riyals (£2.1M with today’s exchange rate – peanuts) and say it’s because the Qatar sports channel has violated Saudi competition law.
Here is a piece from the Guardian (Louise Taylor) on the surprise news this monring:
“The Saudi Arabian government permanently barred the Premier League’s Qatar-based Middle East broadcast partner from operating in the kingdom.”
“beIN’s £500M deal with the Premier League runs until 2022 and there is now no legal way for anyone in Saudi Arabia to watch England’s top tier till then.”
There is bad blood between the two kingdoms, and the Premier League games are not available to be watched in Saudi Arabia and have been illegal in Saudi Arabia for three years.
That’s one reason that Saudi-based channel beoutQ has been pirating the beIN Sports live broadcasts.
They have included the Premier League games.
But we shouldn’t have to get into the politics of all of this.
It’s nevertheless a surprise move in the week when beIN Sports pundit Richard Keys has predicted the takeover of Newcastle by Amanda Staveley’s coalition will be given the go-ahead by the Premier League on Friday.
This move seems to complicate things, and it’s not completely clear why Saudi Arabia have made this move.
It may be something they are doing to break the monopoly beIN Sports has in the region on sports, and it’s before the announcement that the Newcastle acquisition will be approved.
There’s hope in that statement!
But it may also be positioning the government to legally get PL games in the future because they will 80% funding the Newcastle United acquisition.
The £300M deal is 80% funded by the Saudi Sovereign Wealth fund and has been in the PL’s owners and directors test since April 9th, – that’s 14 weeks tomorrow!
Saudi Crown Prince – Mohammed bin Salman
It’s thought that the Kingdom is trying to break up the monopoly beIN Sports has in the region, and the GAC say the channel have “abused its dominant position.”
beIN Sports are the current rights holder in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region for Premier League football for the next two years.
So this may be positioning Saudi Arabia to get the Premier League rights when they come up for auction next year and the subsequent three-year license, which will begin in 2022.
Bidding for those rights is due to start next year.
It will be vital for Saudi Arabia to be able to broadcast PL games in the future when one of the best teams in that league – Newcastle United – is 80% owned by the Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund.
🙂
It’s a little daft that we have to go into this level of detail on what is purely a political move because it may have some bearing on the Newcastle takeover.
But we still think the Saudi-backed deal will go through and maybe Richard Keys will be accurate, for once, when he says it will be announced on Friday.
Hope so.
Comments welcome.
92 comments so far
Kevin Vegan
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:42 AM
Comment #41GT
No mate that’s not how it works. When BeIN bought the rights, those rights covered KSA.
BeIN haven’t violated that contract, they are still the legal owner of the rights to broadcast in KSA. The fact that KSA has banned them does not mean they lose those rights to broadcast. If the PL then sold another package to KSA, that would violate the existing agreement with BeIN.
KSA would either have to negotiate with BeIN (ie Qatar, with whom they are involved in a lengthy legal dispute and whom they have just banned from operating in the country) or they will have to wait until 2022.
The long and short of that is it’s dead in the water.
The ledge
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:43 AM
Comment #42Mund….no the Saudis are not going to roll over to Qatar not a chance .
They have just flexed there muscles In my opinion and as job said it will lead the way for the rest of them to follow.
Jib
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:45 AM
Comment #43Kevin Vegan
What is dead in the water ?
hibbit
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:46 AM
Comment #44The Hit Man
i’m definitely on a mission but i will gladly ignore you if cut out the sniping at me ,
i dont know what i’ve done to rattle your cage but i obviously have, everything i post you have a snidely dig at, so i return the compliment,
Jib
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:46 AM
Comment #45Looking like it’s going to be soggy at SJP later
lochinvar
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:46 AM
Comment #46The Saudis have sent a clear message of intent that they are clearing up any ambiguous areas relating to broadcasting rights in their country and this removes any so called objections to new owners of NUFC.
It means that everything is black and white.
Harrogate mag
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:48 AM
Comment #47Morning guys..good week for a takeover. .Jib.been in back garden but no comment on what I’ve seen mate
Mund
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:49 AM
Comment #48Ledge totally agree mate
It’s getting exciting isn’t it 🙂 not to much tho need to steady myself 🙂
Mund
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:50 AM
Comment #49Loch nice touch i like it 🙂
cleveleysbob
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:52 AM
Comment #50Just had to come in on this: The Saudis have banned BeIn because they broke International Competition laws by insisting existing customers could not view European Championship games in 2016, without also subscribing to a Cinema “package”.
BeIn argued this was standard practice “bundling”, but the Saudi Courts ruled against this, you can’t “hold back” particular events from a distribution deal (in this case with EUFA) to try and get more money by linking in other non associated products.
BeIn have basically shot themselves in the foot and opened the door to SA.
Mattroge
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:52 AM
Comment #51What’s dead in the water Kevin? The takeover that isn’t real! Hahaha!
Mund
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:53 AM
Comment #52Like I’ve said anyone who doesn’t understand the decision by Saudi there’s plenty of info out there explaining this move.
Just always remember Saudi gov and the consortium who are about to take us into a new era are 2 separate entities
Kevin Vegan
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:54 AM
Comment #53RobLeenio
I’m not sure where you’re getting that from but intellectual property rights are nowhere near as haphazard as that and will be contractually watertight. Any breach of that contract can, and will, be handled by international authorities. We have already seen the WTO set up a panel and spend 18+ months investigsting the Saudis for precisely this reason.
Intellectual property rights law is just like any other international law. It’s enturely enforcable and entirely watertight.
geordietom
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:54 AM
Comment #54kv…
the Saudi’s banned Bein , the Saudi’s will now buy their own ” Package ” from the FA to show games in their Kingdom legally . its a simple as 1-2-3 well to me it is …
Mund
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:55 AM
Comment #55cleveleysbob
@50 perfect explanation
Kevin Vegan
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:55 AM
Comment #56Jib
The “imminent” Saudi takeover of our club…
Mund
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:55 AM
Comment #57Tom it’s not hard to understand is it?
Kevin Vegan
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:56 AM
Comment #58Can’t wait for the next round of “no red flags”. When friday comes and goes with no news yet again, I wonder when the next imaginary date will be and how many people will buy into it yet again?
Mund
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:57 AM
Comment #59Looks like the lake is dry today 😉
The Hit Man & Her
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:57 AM
Comment #60Hibbit there’s obviously some misunderstanding because up until a week or so ago i always thought you were a sensible blog stalwart, never a bad word etc. Then out of the blue you start on about me pontificating or whatever so Im assuming I yanked your chain somewhere.
Harrogate mag
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:57 AM
Comment #61Only one United…and it ain’t man u….roll on Friday
cleveleysbob
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:57 AM
Comment #62As a follow up, there is a precedent to this, a couple of years ago, BeIn tried a similar stunt with Asian League football, or ASIA Cup, and got hammered, by a few countries in Asia and MENA regions, some countries split off from deal and went directly to rights owners for broadcasts.
Basically SA are doing the same thing, Saudi Telecom, will buys rights to show PL games in SA, PL will compensate BeIn for loss, and life will go on.
This is all positive and will have been worked out by all involved, prior to yesterday’s announcement.
Kevin Vegan
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:57 AM
Comment #63GT
That would violate the existing agreement between the PL and BeIN, which was a multi billion pound deal for them. They will not allow it to be violated by anyone, least of all the Saudis.
Mattroge
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:58 AM
Comment #64Bob @50, spot-on.
Kevin Vegan
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:58 AM
Comment #65That was literally the sole aim of their dispute with KSA via the WTO, which has been ongoing in Qatar for several years now.
geordietom
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:58 AM
Comment #66i’m confident and i’m staying confident about the takeover happening at our club …
i’m confident and i’m staying confident about the takeover happening at wor club…
i’m confident and i’m staying confident about the takeover happening at my club …
simon376
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:59 AM
Comment #67Dont really think it matters when the tv rights or up for sale again. Unfortunately the way of the World today is, money talks. Saudis will offer enough money to get the rights for their own country for one, two or however many years now until they need to bid with everyone else. Lets face it, if in Mongolia they decided they want to watch, they would be able to add money in and get rights from next season. The Premier League want cash and will take what is offered. So it may be unfortunate that its the way of the World today, but very fortunate for Newcastle, both fans and City
The Hit Man & Her
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:59 AM
Comment #68I think the problem with the doubting view with many posters it equates with negativity and negativity = anti-nufc.
It’s not negativity though. It’s more like disappointment. Disappointment at the prospect of being had, big time. Again.
geordietom
Jul 15, 2020 at 10:59 AM
Comment #69Mund …
nope mate it hard to understand mate …
Mattroge
Jul 15, 2020 at 11:00 AM
Comment #70Again Bob at 61 is spot-on.
clinath@ed
Jul 15, 2020 at 11:00 AM
Comment #71Well said Roblenio @36
Wanted to say something similar bu5 I think you summed it up perfectly
Captain AmeriMag
Jul 15, 2020 at 11:00 AM
Comment #72The way I see it after Saudi have introduced new piracy laws and banned Bein on sound legal grounds, paving the way for a new Saudi tv rights deal (and a healthy wedge in Mr Masters pocket of course thank you very much) there’s only one issue left to overcome in regards to the takeover.
It is a very big issue though with many logistical difficulties that will require sustained geopolitical co-operation to find a satisfactory solution…..
How the hell are we gonna fit all our cans on the Positivity Bus??
😀
Ding Ding!!
#CANS
Jib
Jul 15, 2020 at 11:00 AM
Comment #73KV
How can something that doesn’t exist be dead in the water ?
Munster Mag
Jul 15, 2020 at 11:00 AM
Comment #74To be honest Im a bit concerned that KSA has got the sledgehammer out when it looked like they were making their own internal corrections on the piracy issue. Kev makes sense I think re the existing agreement being in place.
Mind you Kev, you saying that “its dead in the water” suggests that you are obviously on a wind up, and have been, and that you believe that a takeover process is happening.
What , exactly, is dead in the water ??
Perhaps Tarquin can back you up here ( Meat and two Veg )
And before Tarquin gets on his pedastal to hector a blog that is now disinterested in his lectures, I am not “bullying” KV, Im just disagreeing, and Im sure KV knows that.
Mund
Jul 15, 2020 at 11:01 AM
Comment #75cleveleysbob
I think we have been reading the same stuff 😉
Explains it all to me
geordietom
Jul 15, 2020 at 11:01 AM
Comment #76kv…
give owa man will you why do you always go down the negative path …
not gonna argue with you you dont listen anyway …
Northumbrian
Jul 15, 2020 at 11:02 AM
Comment #77A multi billion pound deal???
Its only a 500 m deal over three years.
Mund
Jul 15, 2020 at 11:02 AM
Comment #78Cap bring a trailer of course 😉
#cans
cleveleysbob
Jul 15, 2020 at 11:02 AM
Comment #79Thanks Mund, some people just spout rubbish without reading the facts of the particular case.
I read the transcript from the Saudi GAC judgement, it’s pretty clear, BeIn broke International competition rules, that allows SA to ban them, simple really.
toon22
Jul 15, 2020 at 11:03 AM
Comment #80JIB
We been sold yet ?