SPL opens new route to international fans with innovative distribution model
The Saudi Pro League (SPL) has launched an innovative new international distribution model that will take live Roshn Saudi League (RSL) matches directly to fans across 16 markets - while enabling approved content creators, clubs, players and third-party platforms to participate in growing the league’s international audience.
Marking the SPL’s entry into the rapidly expanding global creator economy, the initiative combines direct-to-consumer broadcasting through SPL-owned channels with a wider network of distribution partners, creating a new approach designed to democratise both access to the RSL and participation in its international growth.
Through the new model, fans in selected markets will be able to watch live RSL matches on a pay-per-view basis directly through SPL-owned channels, or receive free, brand-sponsored access in exchange for an agreed action, such as registering or engaging with the sponsoring brand.
RSL players and approved content creators will also be able to promote individual matches and bundles across their own platforms and communities, receiving a share of the revenue they generate, while selected third-party platforms will form part of the wider distribution network. The model is powered by Recast’s monetisation and instant revenue-sharing technology.
The new approach sees the SPL expand the traditional relationship between sports properties, their audiences and those who help connect them. By opening distribution to a broader range of approved partners, the league is creating opportunities for those with engaged football audiences to participate directly in expanding the RSL’s reach and share in the value they help generate.
The initiative will initially be available across 16 international markets: the United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Canada, New Zealand, Serbia, South Korea, Malta, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Cyprus and Greece.
It represents the latest step in the SPL’s international growth strategy and provides an additional route to reach fans in markets where traditional broadcast distribution may not provide widespread access to live RSL matches.
“The way people discover, consume and engage with sport is changing rapidly,” Omar Mugharbel, Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Pro League, said. “Fans are increasingly connected to competitions, clubs and players through digital platforms and the creators and communities they trust.
“For generations, sports distribution has largely been a relationship between rights holders and broadcasters. Developments in technology and the growth of the creator economy give us an opportunity to add another dimension to that relationship - one in which a broader network of partners can help connect our football with fans and participate in that growth.
“By democratising 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 genuine stake in helping us reach new audiences.
“For the SPL, this is an opportunity to innovate, learn and build new relationships with the people and platforms shaping how sport is discovered and consumed around the world. As we continue to grow internationally, we want to explore new models that bring fans and the league closer together while creating shared value as our international audience expands.”
The global creator economy is one of the fastest-growing areas of the digital media landscape. According to Fortune Business Insights, it is valued at approximately USD 388 billion, reflecting the increasing influence of creators, digital communities and new forms of content monetisation on how audiences discover and consume entertainment.
The new model will complement the SPL’s extensive international broadcast network, which remains central to the league’s global distribution strategy. The RSL is currently broadcast by 45 international broadcast partners across more than 180 territories. Those partners include FOX, ESPN, DAZN, SPOTV, OKKO and FanCode.
The direct-to-consumer offering provides an additional route to reach fans in markets where live RSL matches are not widely available, while enabling the SPL to build direct relationships with international fans and develop valuable first-party audience insights.
This will help the league better understand emerging fan communities, build demand and create new opportunities for partners helping to grow its international reach.