Are Saudi Arabia taking over world sport?

[Port Vale Devil]

With the recent merger of Liv golf and the PGA with crazy money thrown at the golfers originally to leave the PGA what will the Saudi’s go after next?

They are spending billions paying declining football greats to play in their league but surely they have an endgame for this. Obviously they will probably get a World Cup but could they be perhaps lining up some team completion/league like the European Super League under their umbrella.

They have dipped their toes in Tennis and are throwing a lot of money at ESports and WWE. Boxing is completely skewed from its normal arena/PPV model when Saudi Arabia are offering a rumoured £100m site fee for Heavyweight boxing in December.

What else could they go after?

 

[Conor]

Basically, yeah. Depressing stuff.

 

[JagUTD]

What alternatives are there to sport for us to enjoy? They'll probably buy films, music and the arts if they haven't already started.

Soon all we will have left are long evening walks and crosswords. They'll buy them though no doubt.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

According to @adexkola there is no possible secondary gain for them from spending all this money. So they must be doing it purely for the love of the sport. So that’s fine then.

 

[Port Vale Devil]

The Spanish have a contract with the Saudi’s to play the super cup final there until 2029 for $30m a year.

 

[Vidyoyo]

What alternatives are there to sport for us to enjoy? They'll probably buy films, music and the arts if they haven't already started.

Soon all we will have left are long evening walks and crosswords. They'll buy them though no doubt.

They own 8% of shares in Nintendo

 

[The Firestarter]

According to @adexkola there is no possible secondary gain for them from spending all this money. So they must be doing it purely for the love of the sport. So that’s fine then.

Crazy how he didn't have to prove his credentials or learn his trade in the Newbies or the matchdays before being deemed qualified for the caf mains.

 

[adexkola]

According to @adexkola there is no possible secondary gain for them from spending all this money. So they must be doing it purely for the love of the sport. So that’s fine then.

Why thank you for tagging me in good sir

2 plausible reasons for them throwing money at sports:

1. Actual financial returns? Maybe McKinsey have these investments as having positive ROI? Improbable to me, but McKinsey will actually tell you what you want to hear, inclusive of spreadsheets, so there's that.
2. Because people with lots of money buy lots of stuff to stunt. Yachts, palaces, cars, shopping sprees, clubs, players... show offs

1 implausible reason for them throwing money at sports:

1. To improve their reputation, or as the "experts" call it, "sportswashing" their reputation. As if they, having the Western world bent over due to their oil and geopolitical positioning, give a feck about their reputation.

 

[adexkola]

Crazy how he didn't have to prove his credentials or learn his trade in the Newbies or the matchdays before being deemed qualified for the caf mains.

I'll have you know I was stuck in the newbies for a good year

 

[Zen]

Seems like as good as place as any to ask.... why aren't they going after LeBron? or any of the other ancient NBA players that aren't actually still great like, but still marketable to big up their league. China did, and as far I'm aware, still does, but only the loons go.

Just seems a bit weird to me, the NBA is responsible for probably the biggest proportion of marketable Athletes over the past 30 years or so... but outside of Rodman and a few other lunatics, they never actually seem to get paydays offered outside of USA.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Why thank you for tagging me in good sir

2 plausible reasons for them throwing money at sports:

1. Actual financial returns?
2. Because people with lots of money buy lots of stuff to stunt. Yachts, palaces, cars, shopping sprees, clubs, players... show offs

1 implausible reason for them throwing money at sports:

1. To improve their reputation, or as the "experts" call it, "sportswashing" their reputation. As if they, having the Western world bent over due to their oil and geopolitical positioning, give a feck about their reputation.

Weird the way you describe them as being simultaneously “show offs” and also not giving a feck about their status/reputation. Something doesn’t add up here.

 

[adexkola]

Weird the way you describe them as being simultaneously “show offs” and also not giving a feck about their status/reputation. Something doesn’t add up here.

Come on, you can absolutely flaunt your wealth and not care one jot what others think about your morals

I also think the showing off isn't for us peons. It's for other rich people and other rivals. Billionaires buy NFL clubs not as investment vehicles, but as status symbols. "Ok you have money too, but I own the Yankees, bow down".

Hey, part of it is conjecture on my end, but at least I'm not pretending as if a group of people who oppress women and critics and LGBT people, kill journalists in embassies, conduct bloodthirsty killing campaigns in Yemen, engage in sectarian cold wars... draw attention to themselves by spending money on sports, in the hopes that their reputation improves!!

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Come on, you can absolutely flaunt your wealth and not care one jot what others think about your morals

I also think the showing off isn't for us peons. It's for other rich people and other rivals. Billionaires buy NFL clubs not as investment vehicles, but as status symbols. "Ok you have money too, but I own the Yankees, bow down".

Hey, part of it is conjecture on my end, but at least I'm not pretending as if a group of people who oppress women and critics and LGBT people, kill journalists in embassies, conduct bloodthirsty killing campaigns in Yemen, engage in sectarian cold wars... draw attention to themselves by spending money on sports, in the hopes that their reputation improves!!

Again, the answers you seek are within your own post. Your last paragraph describes exactly what they are doing. They do a lot of terrible things so it’s obviously in their interest to become closely associated with something which is perceived in a much more positive way. Even if only when it comes to the billionaires/heads of state they want to impress with their gratuitous spending. I just think it mad the way you refuse to accept that these people might actually care about how they are perceived. Just look as the rest of the richest men on earth. They’re all exquisitely thin skinned and needy in terms of how they’re perceived.

 

[Alex99]

Can see them having a CL final before long.

 

[Raoul]

Why thank you for tagging me in good sir

2 plausible reasons for them throwing money at sports:

1. Actual financial returns? Maybe McKinsey have these investments as having positive ROI? Improbable to me, but McKinsey will actually tell you what you want to hear, inclusive of spreadsheets, so there's that.
2. Because people with lots of money buy lots of stuff to stunt. Yachts, palaces, cars, shopping sprees, clubs, players... show offs

1 implausible reason for them throwing money at sports:

1. To improve their reputation, or as the "experts" call it, "sportswashing" their reputation. As if they, having the Western world bent over due to their oil and geopolitical positioning, give a feck about their reputation.

MBS is synonymous in the west with decapitating a journalist and grinding his bones into a dust. He is therefore greatly incentivized into sport washing his way out of his terrible public image in the west. If he can throw 20billion at the problem, then why wouldn't he.

 

[moses]

I'll have you know I was stuck in the newbies for a good year

Yes, it was a good year. Alas.

 

[Heardy]

Imagine being Rory McIlroy turning down $400m to refuse LIV’s offer only for the PGA to merge with them less than a year later anyway.

 

[RedPed]

MBS is synonymous in the west with decapitating a journalist and grinding his bones into a dust with a saw. He is therefore greatly incentivized into sport washing his way out of his terrible public image in the west. If he can throw 20billion at the problem, then why wouldn't he.

To this day, nobody has come up with a definitive explanation of what sports washing really is. Are people really that naive to hold someone in high esteem just because s/he throws enough money at something. 'Sports washing', whatever the feck that is, only works if suckers allow themselves to be duped by it. You can't blame the instigators really.

You can't bitch and whine about it whilst Sky has it's PPV boxing events, Saudi Grand Prix, LIV tournaments and the like front and centre. Trump nearly broke America yet people are happy to give him another 4 years. That shit happens all over the world.

 

[Raoul]

To this day, nobody has come up with a definitive explanation of what sports washing really. Are people really that naive to hold someone in high esteem just because s/he throws enough money at something. 'Sports washing', whatever the feck that is, only works if suckers allow themselves to be duped by it. You can't blame the instigators really.

You can't bitch and whine about it whilst Sky has it's PPV boxing events, Saudi Grand Prix, LIV tournaments and the like front and centre. Trump nearly broke America yet people are happy to give him another 4 years/ That shit happens all over the world.

Sportwashing is exactly what it implies. An attempt to resuscitate ones image by throwing large sums of money at a problem through the acquisition of Sporting events/clubs/leagues etc.

 

[ThatsGreat]

MBS is synonymous in the west with decapitating a journalist and grinding his bones into a dust. He is therefore greatly incentivized into sport washing his way out of his terrible public image in the west. If he can throw 20billion at the problem, then why wouldn't he.

Its odd he didn't just offer 20 billion to Khashoggi to shut up.

 

[Raoul]

Its odd he didn't just offer 20 billion to Khashoggi to shut up.

He probably thought no one would care if he murdered an ethnic Saudi. Makes you wonder how often it happens within Saudi and that we simply don't hear about it.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

To this day, nobody has come up with a definitive explanation of what sports washing really is. Are people really that naive to hold someone in high esteem just because s/he throws enough money at something. 'Sports washing', whatever the feck that is, only works if suckers allow themselves to be duped by it. You can't blame the instigators really.

You can't bitch and whine about it whilst Sky has it's PPV boxing events, Saudi Grand Prix, LIV tournaments and the like front and centre. Trump nearly broke America yet people are happy to give him another 4 years. That shit happens all over the world.

Your last paragraph is very confusing. It’s impossible to work out what point you’re making. But surely you can see why people are inclined to “bitch and whine” about sportswashing when we’re about to watch a gulf state owned football club win a historic treble after laughing in the face of FFP rules.

 

[Samid]

Seems like as good as place as any to ask.... why aren't they going after LeBron? or any of the other ancient NBA players that aren't actually still great like, but still marketable to big up their league. China did, and as far I'm aware, still does, but only the loons go.

Just seems a bit weird to me, the NBA is responsible for probably the biggest proportion of marketable Athletes over the past 30 years or so... but outside of Rodman and a few other lunatics, they never actually seem to get paydays offered outside of USA.

Wild guess, there's probably not a gigantic market for the NBA in the Middle East. Like in Europe most games are on in the middle of the night.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Plus basketball is a shit sport.

 

[Samid]

Plus basketball is a shit sport.

@adexkola thoughts?

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Oops. I like adex. This thread is definitely going to make him hate me.

 

[Mr Pigeon]

Oops. I like adex. This thread is definitely going to make him hate me.

If it's any consolation I hate @horsechoker and he hates @esmufc07, who in turn hates me?

 

[Conor]

Come on, you can absolutely flaunt your wealth and not care one jot what others think about your morals

I also think the showing off isn't for us peons. It's for other rich people and other rivals. Billionaires buy NFL clubs not as investment vehicles, but as status symbols. "Ok you have money too, but I own the Yankees, bow down".

Hey, part of it is conjecture on my end, but at least I'm not pretending as if a group of people who oppress women and critics and LGBT people, kill journalists in embassies, conduct bloodthirsty killing campaigns in Yemen, engage in sectarian cold wars... draw attention to themselves by spending money on sports, in the hopes that their reputation improves!!

Each one of these purchases/investments makes the next one easier, it's not like they're doing it purely so people like them, it's so they can easily diversify away from oil when they have been viewed in a very bad light historically.

 

[DOTA]

Golf is so evil, man. I know everything's kinda evil now but golf is just...

 

[Spoony]

Shame Yemen didn't get much coverage around these parts.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Golf is so evil, man. I know everything's kinda evil now but golf is just...

Try living in the midst of a housing crisis where multiple acres of prime real estate, slap bang in the middle of the city, are untouchable because a few old white men want to play the most boring sport known to man.

EDIT: Should have said “one of the most etc.” Let’s not sportwash basketball here.

 

[Port Vale Devil]

The PGA folded too easy. One minute blaming the Saudi’s for 9/11 then when money is thrown at them all is forgotten. This will probably give Saudi Arabia the license to go after other sports.

 

[Champ]

To think that Sportswashing doesn't exist is quite frankly laughable.
It's been going on years, think of China and the Olympics.

 

[moses]

If it's any consolation I hate @horsechoker and he hates @esmufc07, who in turn hates me?

How is that consolation? Unlike that triumvirate @Pogue Mahone and @adexkola are good posters.

 

[RedPed]

Sportwashing is exactly what it implies. An attempt to resuscitate ones image by throwing large sums of money at a problem through the acquisition of Sporting events/clubs/leagues etc.

So it's not actually a thing then is it unless people make it a thing...unless you're telling me that there are swathes of the population who refuse to watch or attend the Saudi GP, turn off Sky Sports whenever the Golf is on and ignore the boxing and PPV events etc?

 

[RedPed]

Your last paragraph is very confusing. It’s impossible to work out what point you’re making. But surely you can see why people are inclined to “bitch and whine” about sportswashing when we’re about to watch a gulf state owned football club win a historic treble after laughing in the face of FFP rules.

I'm specifically referring to the people who would bitch and whine about it, crack open a few beers then tune into the Saudi GP or cheer on the boxing etc.

 

[Raoul]

So it's not actually a thing then is it unless people make it a thing...unless you're telling me that there are swathes of the population who refuse to watch or attend the Saudi GP, turn off Sky Sports whenever the Golf is on and ignore the boxing and PPV events etc?

Exactly - like most other terms in the English language ending in phobia or ism.

 

[hp88]

To think that Sportswashing doesn't exist is quite frankly laughable.
It's been going on years, think of China and the Olympics.

We have been over this in the SJR vs Qatar thread but Sports Washing doesn't work on your average person, sure it exist as the Saudi's have hosted a load of events in the past year but it doesn't cover up what they have done it past.

 

[moses]

So it's not actually a thing then is it unless people make it a thing...unless you're telling me that there are swathes of the population who refuse to watch or attend the Saudi GP, turn off Sky Sports whenever the Golf is on and ignore the boxing and PPV events etc?

No but that's the point. It's bettering your image by sponsorship. It's marketing.

 

[Dan_F]

To this day, nobody has come up with a definitive explanation of what sports washing really is. Are people really that naive to hold someone in high esteem just because s/he throws enough money at something. 'Sports washing', whatever the feck that is, only works if suckers allow themselves to be duped by it. You can't blame the instigators really.

You can't bitch and whine about it whilst Sky has it's PPV boxing events, Saudi Grand Prix, LIV tournaments and the like front and centre. Trump nearly broke America yet people are happy to give him another 4 years. That shit happens all over the world.

Sorry what?