September 16: The Saudi Pro League opens up live match distribution to approved creators, clubs and players as part of a new model powered by Recast that launches in 16 international markets.
The system will sit alongside Roshn Saudi League’s existing broadcast deals and will include pay-per-view access through SPL-owned channels as well as free-to-air viewing funded by sponsors in return for actions such as registration or brand engagement.
The initial rollout covers the UK, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Canada, New Zealand, Serbia, South Korea, Malta, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Cyprus and Greece.
The SPL has touted the model as a way to “democratize” distribution, though the network is tightly controlled: creators must be approved by the league and the service is restricted to 16 select markets.
Nor does the movement open previously unavailable territories. RSL has already had distribution in several countries included in the launch, making it both a commercial test and an audience growth exercise.
The most significant change is that players, clubs and creators can now act as affiliate distributors of live rights, promoting individual matches or packages to their own audience and taking a cut of the resulting sales.
Recast will provide the payment, attribution and revenue sharing technology behind the system. The affiliate model itself is not new, with Recast providing rights holders with tools that allow influencers and other publishers to distribute paid content and share transaction revenue.
“The way people discover, consume and engage with sport is changing rapidly,” said SPL CEO Omar Mugharbel.
“By democratizing both access and distribution, we can bring live RSL football closer to international fans while giving approved content creators, our clubs and players and other distribution partners a real stake in helping us reach new audiences.”
The league says its traditional broadcast network remains central to its international strategy, with 45 partners in more than 180 territories.
The model could also give the SPL something that conventional broadcast offerings don’t always directly provide: first-party data about who’s watching, what they’re willing to pay for, and which players or creators are most effective at turning interest into transactions.
This is likely to be the biggest test.
Saudi football has generated huge international visibility thanks to the signing of high-profile players, but the social reach and live audience value are not the same. The Recast model gives SPL a way to figure out how much of that attention can be converted into paid viewers.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at (email protected)
