How many players can fully raise a single league with their presence? Not a lot. But Cristiano Ronaldo is the crown jewel of the Saudi League. Saudi Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal expressed his joy at having Ronaldo in the Saudi Pro League as he boosted the country’s media coverage for football.
Whenever players come to lesser-known leagues, it elevates the team and the league as a whole. Signing Ronaldo proved to be a masterstroke for Al-Nassr and the entire competition. The ‘Siuuu’ party has taken over the country!
The league’s brand value is increasing at a rapid rate and this automatically leads to monstrous TV deals. The Sports Minister detailed his thoughts in an interview. He explained the benefits of the deal which promoted the league’s growth towards something better.
Cristiano Ronaldo leaves an everlasting impact on the Saudi Pro League!
According to Athletic, the sports minister revealed the impact of CR7’s appearance in Saudi Arabia. He said: “I’ll give you an example, just when Ronaldo arrived we have 137 channels around the world showing the Saudi league. We wanted that at first, but they said they weren’t interested, but since a player came, it’s all over the world.
Cristiano Ronaldo joined Juventus, and they started broadcasting Serie A. Now he joined Saudi League and he will be broadcast on BEIN Sports channels from next season. Its effect is incomparable
– BH (@MCFC__BH) 10 mars 2023
The Minister continued: “There is a possibility of coming to a new place and developing the development of the sport, and we have seen that with the arrival of Ronaldo and how the attraction has happened all over the world. .”
Saudi investors aim to become football powerhouses by investing in various clubs. One of the country’s long-list billionaires, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, has invested in English Premier League football team Newcastle United. Thus, they seem interested in investing in various football clubs.
DIVE DEEPER
In terms of impact, signing Ronaldo resembles David Beckham arriving in MLS to play for LA Galaxy.
David Beckham redefined MLS
Like the Saudi Pro League, MLS was in the shadow of most leagues in the world. They had solid players who came through the ranks but never achieved unparalleled recognition. Therefore, signing Beckham became a masterstroke. Having someone like Beckham helps the league turn heads. For years the league has grown, but now they have recently entered into a 10-year deal with Apple TV to broadcast the games.
Thus, Cristiano Ronaldo’s effect in the league has similar nuances to Beckham’s time in MLS. Nevertheless, better players would like to play under superstars, which also contributes to the quality of the football they play. Therefore, Ronaldo creates a ripple effect wherever he goes, and long may it continue!
