Kieran Maguire: Newcastle United to cash in amid new twist in Saudi ‘spat’
The apparent cooling in tensions between Saudi Arabia and Qatar will allow Newcastle United to grow their brand in the Middle East.
That is the view of finance guru Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the Magpies’ owners and their previously fractious relationship with Qatari television network BeIN Sports.
One of the reasons the Public Investment Fund’s takeover of Newcastle last October took so long to force through was because of the alleged mass piracy of BeIN in Saudi.
But per Sport Business on Wednesday (26 October), BeIN has signed an advertising agency deal with PIF-linked Saudi Media CO.
That comes after The Athletic reported earlier this month (15 October) that PIF wanted to buy a significant stake in BeIN.
Newcastle are targeting the Middle East as a major growth market as they look to boost their commercial profile to unlock PIF’s spending power in the transfer market.
Maguire forecasts that the end of “hostilities” between two of the region’s major players will help them do exactly that.
“There was a major long-term spat between the Saudi government and Qatar far as the Premier League is concerned,” he told Football Insider’s Adam Williams.
“That was especially the case after they granted the rights to the Middle Eastern area to BeIN Sports. Then there was a controversial pirate broadcaster called BeOut Sports that appeared to syphon those particular broadcasts.
“That had a negative impact as far as BeIn’s finances are concerned. The agreement between the two parties suggests that hostilities are over.
“This will make it easier going forwards as far as the Premier League is concerned.
“It could also convince Saudi viewers to sign up once more with BeIn Sports. That can increase the overall Premier League revenue but also the status of Newcastle, who are increasingly seen as the in-house team as far as Saudi is concerned.“
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