IPL Auction in Jeddah:

Saudi Arabia’s Strategic Move into Cricket

Sports Desk

23 Nov 2024, 09:11

Photo: AFP

Saudi Arabia is taking a significant step into cricket by hosting the IPL auction in Jeddah, marking the kingdom’s first major foray into the sport. The two-day event, where franchise representatives are expected to spend over ₹600 crore (approximately $71 million), underscores Saudi Arabia’s broader ambitions to integrate cricket into its growing portfolio of sports investments.

Follow Rtv Online English on Google news

A Gradual Build-Up
Saudi Arabia’s interest in cricket is not entirely new. The Saudi Arabia Cricket Federation (SACF) has cultivated relationships with key figures like BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who attended IPL 2023’s opening match. Additionally, state-backed entities like Visit Saudi and Aramco have sponsored IPL teams and secured high-profile deals with the ICC, including naming rights for match awards at World Cups. Even Rajasthan Royals showcased Neom, a futuristic Saudi project, on their jerseys this year.

Staging the auction in Jeddah aligns with Saudi Arabia’s "Vision 2030" goal of making India its largest source of tourists. The auction, viewed by over 20 million people last year, guarantees significant visibility in the Indian market, bolstered by consistent promotional efforts during IPL broadcasts.

A Disruptor in Global Sports
While cricket infrastructure and domestic interest in Saudi Arabia remain minimal, the kingdom’s track record in other sports highlights its transformative potential. It has reshaped boxing, football, and golf by luring top athletes like Cristiano Ronaldo and hosting high-profile events like the LIV Golf league, which disrupted the PGA Tour before transitioning to a more collaborative model.

These investments are part of a broader strategy under "Vision 2030," spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to diversify the economy beyond oil. The Public Investment Fund (PIF), Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, has been instrumental, acquiring assets like Newcastle United in the Premier League and exploring cricket’s potential.

Challenges and Opportunities
Saudi Arabia’s cricket aspirations face obstacles, including limited infrastructure and ICC regulations that cap overseas players in new leagues. However, experts believe the kingdom is shifting from disruptive tactics to a collaborative approach, integrating into existing structures rather than creating competing leagues.

Simon Chadwick, a professor specializing in Middle Eastern sports, observes that lessons from controversies like the LIV Golf saga have prompted a more strategic investment approach. Instead of pursuing a standalone cricket league, Saudi Arabia may opt to invest in established IPL franchises or persuade teams to host matches in Saudi Arabia once stadiums are built.

The Road Ahead
Saudi Arabia’s ultimate ambitions in cricket could reshape the sport. The kingdom is reportedly interested in IPL investments and potentially hosting matches, leveraging its financial clout to integrate into the cricketing mainstream. There are also rumors of interest in England’s Hundred competition, especially with the proximity of its Newcastle United ownership to Durham, a key cricketing hub.

While the PIF plans to reduce its proportion of overseas investments, the appointment of Australian Danny Townsend as CEO of its sports subsidiary indicates a long-term focus on cricket. Despite its relatively modest entry, Saudi Arabia’s potential to revolutionize cricket through wealth and strategic planning remains immense.

The IPL auction’s relocation to Jeddah symbolizes more than just a change of venue—it signals Saudi Arabia’s calculated move to make cricket a cornerstone of its global sports ambitions.
(Based on espncricinfo)

Comments

Most Viewed News Of Sports

Global Super League Fixtures Released

The fixtures for the inaugural Global Super League T20 tournament have been released. The tournament commences on 26 November at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. The Super League features the former Caribbean Premier League (CPL) champions, the Guyana Amazon Warriors against top T20 teams from around the world. The Amazon Warriors will compete in the tournament against the Lahore Qalandars, Hampshire Hawks, Rangpur Riders, and Victoria. The Guyana franchise opens the tournament against the Lahore Qalandars on 26 November. The Amazon Warriors will play Victoria on 29 October, with matches to follow against the Hampshire Hawks (1 December) and the Rangpur Riders (4 October). The final will be staged at Providence on 7 December. The Amazon Warriors lost to the St Lucia Kings in the CPL finals in October. Providence Stadium is set to host the 2025 CPL final. Global Super League Fixtures 26 Nov - Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Lahore Qalandars 27 Nov - Hampshire Hawks vs Rangpur Riders 29 Nov - Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Victoria 30 Nov - Hampshire Hawks vs Lahore Qalandars 1 Dec - Rangpur Riders vs Victoria 1 Dec - Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Hampshire Hawks 3 Dec - Victoria vs Lahore Qalandars 4 Dec - Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Rangpur Riders 5 Dec - Lahore Qalandars vs Rangpur Riders 6 Dec - Hampshire Hawks vs Victoria 7 Dec - Grand Final

Miami Triumphs with Suárez's Goal and Messi's Assist

In Inter Miami’s latest match, Lionel Messi did not score, despite recently netting a hat-trick. However, the Argentine superstar provided an assist for teammate Jordi Alba. Another goal came from Messi's longtime friend and former Barcelona teammate, Luis Suárez, securing a 2-1 victory over Atlanta United. The Major League Soccer (MLS) match took place early on Saturday, October 26, with Saba Lobzhanidze scoring the only goal for Atlanta United. With this win, Miami continues its dominance in the Eastern Conference standings. The team now has 74 points from 34 matches, boasting 22 wins, 8 draws, and just 4 losses. They maintain an 8-point lead over their closest rivals, the Columbus Crew.

Najmul Hossain Shanto To Step Down As Bangladesh Captain

Bangladesh's all-format captain Najmul Hossain Shanto is likely to step down from the leadership role after the conclusion of the ongoing home Test series against South Africa. The Bangladesh Cricket Board appointed Najmul as captain across formats for a year in February 2024, with plans for him to lead the team in the Champions Trophy next year. However, Najmul has informed the board of his decision to step down and is awaiting approval from board president Faruque Ahmed, who is currently abroad and expected to return soon. A senior BCB director is attempting to persuade Najmul to reconsider his decision to step down as captain, though a reversal appears unlikely at this point, the report said. Following the 2024 T20 World Cup, Najmul initially planned to resign from T20 captaincy but later decided to quit as captain across all formats. Source: News 18

Tabith Awal Elected New President of BFF

Tabith Awal has been elected as the new president of the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF). He secured 123 votes, while his closest rival, A.F.M. Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury, received just 5 votes. Since 1998, the sports arena in Bangladesh has followed an electoral system. The first elected president of BFF was S.A. Sultan, followed by Kazi Salahuddin, a legendary footballer who held the position for four consecutive terms. Salahuddin did not participate in this election, making Tabith the third elected president in the federation’s history. Interestingly, Tabith received the highest number of votes ever recorded for this position. Tabith Awal had previously served as a vice president of BFF in 2012 and 2016. In 2020, the vice-presidential race ended in a tie, and he lost the re-election by just four votes. This time, however, he has secured the top spot. His victory as BFF president seemed only a matter of time. After voting concluded at 6 PM, the election commission began the counting process with the presidential votes. Within half an hour, the count was completed, confirming Tabith’s 123 votes against Mizanur's 5.

Bangladesh Hammers Bhutan 7-1 to Storm into SAFF Final

Though Bangladesh drew against Pakistan in the first match of the SAFF Championship but lost to India in the second match and reached the semi-finals. Keeping that consistency, the girls of Bangladesh played like a boys against Bhutan in the semi-finals. The red-green representatives confirmed their ticket to the final by defeating Bhutan 7-1. The Bangladesh women's team show their attacking prowess throughout the match, overwhelming their opponents at Nepal's Dasharath Stadium on Sunday (October 27). Bangladesh scored in the seventh minute at the Dasharath Stadium. Rituparna took Bangladesh's lead with a great left-foot shot after catching Tahura's pass. Tahura doubled the lead in the 15th minute. The next goal came in the 26th minute. Sabina Khatun scored from teammate Monika's diagonal cross. Bangladesh scored again in the 35th minute. Tahura has written his name on the scorecard for the second time. She made the scoreline 4-0 with a shot from a little above the opponent's D box. After two minutes, Sabina sent the ball into the net again and took the number of goals to five. Bhutan then pulled one goal back before the break. Deki Lhazom's goal was to get back into the fight, but it was not possible. Because Bangladesh took control of the match with two more goals after the break. In the second half, Tahura completed her hat-trick by getting the ball off Monika Chakma's chip shot. She completed the hat-trick in the 58th minute. Masura Parvin hit the last nail. In the 72nd minute of the match, she made the scoreline 7-1 with a header from a corner kick. The girls of Bangladesh confirmed the ticket to the final by maintaining this gap for the rest of the time. Result Bangladesh 7 (Tahura 15, 35, 58; Sabina 26, 37; Ritoporna 7, Masura 72) Bhutan 1 (Deki 41)

Real Madrid and La Liga Condemn Abuse of Barcelona Players

Real Madrid on Sunday strongly condemned the racist behavior of its fans at the El Clasico football match, which saw Madrid thumped 4-0 by rival FC Barcelona on Saturday. Several Black Barcelona players, including 17-year-old phenom and Spanish national team player Lamine Yamal, faced racist insults during the game. Yamal, for instance, was targeted with abuse after becoming the youngest player ever to score a goal in El Clasico, the name for the match between Spain's two biggest clubs. Real, Spain's La Liga and its governing football body RFEF, as well as numerous government and police agencies, all condemned the situation, promising swift and harsh punishment for the perpetrators. La Liga and its governing body strongly denounce the 'scourge' of racism Real Madrid on Sunday said it had already launched an investigation, releasing a statement that read: "Real Madrid strongly condemns any kind of behavior involving racism, xenophobia or violence in football and sport, and deeply regrets the insults that a few fans uttered last night in one of the corners of the stadium." "La Liga will immediately report the racist insults and gestures received by Barcelona players to the Hate Crimes Section of the National Police Information Brigade, as well as informing the Coordinating Prosecutor of the Hate Crimes and Discrimination Unit of the State Attorney General's Office," read a league statement. "La Liga vehemently condemns the incidents at the Santiago Bernabeu and remains firm in its commitment to eradicate any kind of racist behavior and hatred inside and outside stadiums." The RFEF, Spanish football's governing body, called racism a "social scourge," vowing zero tolerance for racist abuse and violence. In the past, RFEF and La Liga have gone so far as to close stadiums over such behavior. The Spanish Supreme Sports Council (CSD) said that its Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance would convene on Monday to discuss the case. Beyond sporting bodies — the Spanish government gets involved Spain's Minister for Inclusion and Migration Elma Saiz was among those in government to speak out against the incident. "The racist insults aimed at Lamine Yamal in the Clasico are everything we in the government will fight against," she wrote on social media platform X. "We will not allow attacks that we do not tolerate in other spaces to become normalized in sport." Minister for Education, Professional Development and Sport Pilar Alegria wrote on X: "Neither racism, nor insults, nor violence have a place in our country's sport." Spanish football has long grappled with the issue of racism in its stadiums and has recently gotten help from prosecutors and judges. In June, three Valencia fans were given eight-month prison sentences for abuse targeting Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr. Vinicius made headlines and received an outpouring of global support a year earlier for facing down those abusive fans in Valencia's Mastella Stadium in May 2023. In December 2023, four Atletico Madrid fans were charged in a separate racist incident targeting Vinicius. Prosecutors are pushing for four-year prison terms for each. And this week, four more individuals were arrested for their suspected involvement in organizing an online hate campaign against Vinicius. The Brazilian voiced support for Yamal and his Barcelona teammates, writing on X: "There is no place for these criminals in our society. I know that Madrid and the police will do things to identify and punish the guilty."

Ballon d'Or 2024 / Vinícius Jr. 'Not Respected' After Losing to Rodri, Claims Real Madrid

Real Madrid say the Ballon d'Or and UEFA "do not respect" the Spanish champions after Manchester City's Rodri was crowned the 2024 winner. Madrid winger Vinicius Junior was the heavy favorite to scoop the award in the days leading up to Monday's ceremony, with the club expecting their first winner since Karim Benzema in 2022. With rumors circulating that it would instead go to Man City midfielder Rodri, it emerged that there would be no one present at the ceremony from the Spanish club at the Theatre du Chatelet in France. An emotional Rodri did collect the trophy, with Vinicius ranked second and his Real Madrid team-mate Jude Bellingham finishing third. The result did not sit well with Real, who issued a statement saying the club was not respected. "If the award criteria don't give it to Vinicius as the winner, then those same criteria should point to Carvajal as the winner," the club told AFP on Monday. "As this was not the case, it is clear that Ballon d'Or-UEFA does not respect Real Madrid. And Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected." Carvajal, who scored alongside Vinicius in Madrid's UEFA Champions League final victory over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium, finished fourth overall. In the aftermath of the ceremony, Los Blancos players took to social media to speak out in support of Vinicius, who missed out on his first Ballon d'Or after a remarkable 12 months. Bonmati wins Ballon d'Or Feminin for the second year in a row Full list of Ballon d'Or award winners as Yamal scoops Kopa Trophy Exclusive: 'I'm surprised it went beyond the summer' – Scholes on Ten Hag exit Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni said: "They are not ready for what you're gonna deliver," while Eder Militao insisted: “You are the best and no one can take that away from you." Eduardo Camavinga also dedicated a post to Vinicius, while Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti - who was awarded the Johan Cruyff Trophy for the best men’s coach - thanked the forward and Carvajal in a message on X. "I want to thank my Family, my President, my Club, my Players, and above all Vini and Carvajal." Although there were no Madrid representatives in attendance, the club did not walk away empty-handed. In addition to Ancelotti’s award, the Liga outfit was named Club of the Year after their record-extending 15th Champions League success. Kylian Mbappe, who is now a Madrid player following his summer transfer, shared the Gerd Muller Trophy with Harry Kane.

IPL Auction in Jeddah:

Saudi Arabia’s Strategic Move into Cricket

Nine Banned Including Eight Third Division Cricketers

Global Super League Fixtures Released

Miami Triumphs with Suárez's Goal and Messi's Assist

Najmul Hossain Shanto To Step Down As Bangladesh Captain

Tabith Awal Elected New President of BFF

Bangladesh Hammers Bhutan 7-1 to Storm into SAFF Final

Real Madrid and La Liga Condemn Abuse of Barcelona Players

Ballon d'Or 2024 / Vinícius Jr. 'Not Respected' After Losing to Rodri, Claims Real Madrid

ICC Faces Financial Crisis if Pakistan Boycotts India Matches

Afghanistan Overtakes Bangladesh in ICC ODI Rankings

South Africa beat Bangladesh to boost World Test Championship prospects

Putin Seeks to Rival West With High-Profile Summit