Saudi Sports Washing

In my limited understanding, the PGA and DP World tours objected to LIV Golf on exactly the grounds you cite…

That was until they magically executed a volte-face that John Stones would be proud of, and jumped into bed with LIV Golf, hook, line and sinker. (Ooops, too many metaphors!)

And there's only one reason that happened: Money… Money and Power. (Oh, two reasons.)

The great thing about spouting hypothetical scenarios is that no-one can say you're wrong.

But I'm just not convinced about this 'sportswashing' claim. Seems just a little bit too easy to jump on that bandwagon.

Is that the real reason they are doing it? Or is sport in all its guises an ever more lucrative business arena as more and more people get involved, as more and more money is provided, as exposure on television increases exponentially, as more and more prestige is sought and won?

Is this monetisation of sport just awful, as so many on here claim? Or is it just progress, the relentless drumbeat of evolution and change that those same folks seem so dead set against?

But isn't this what they tried in China with the Chinese Super League? Huge wages would tempt the best players and managers from Europe? How's that working so far?

A third club in just seven months suspended from the Premiership due to financial issues as London Irish suffer the same fate as Worcester Warriors and Wasps before them; a proposed takeover by American consortium has not happened, with no evidence of financial ability to continue next season.

Analysis from Sky Sports News' James Cole…

"This is the news we expected but also feared.

"This is a very sad day for London Irish, a club with 125 years' history. They finished fifth in the Premiership this season, they have got a brilliant Academy, some outstanding players but unfortunately the club's financial issues have just caught up with them, as we've seen with Worcester and Wasps previously this season.

"You wonder now what the RFU and what Premiership Rugby are going to do to ensure some sustainability for the other clubs. The current financial model of Premiership Rugby is that the clubs lose money and they are reliant on benefactors to pump money into the clubs - when those benefactors say enough is enough, the clubs are going under.

"It is not sustainable, something needs to be done."

How long will it be before major football clubs start to go to the wall? Or are the Profitability and Sustainability rules sufficient to prevent that from happening?

Also, the Saudis have lost a lot a value in their investments and public image asset buys. If this was investment for returns please state how the Saudis plan to turn it around. Or maybe explain theit infinite time horizon for the payoffs.

I do think some evaluation is good so that later they can’t claim how brill it was since it was nevet aboit the monetary returns.

First of all, I have no comprehension of what those numbers mean in real terms. My tiny brain can't cope with the amount of zeros that entails or what 345m of anything actually looks like.

And secondly, what on earth is he going to do with that kind of money, start his own country?

No purchase, no negotiation, just GULP and it's done. The objective is to dramatically raise the profile and playing quality of the league in order to buttress SA's bid for the 2030 World Cup. Qatar got one, so they want one.

Michael #1, there's no comparison to China. The Super League was a toy for big Chinese corporations. Although some of those companies are/were partially government-owned, there was no direct government involvement or investment. And obviously there was no unlimited oil money. This is a direct Saudi government initiative supported by limitless funds.

I see there are 16 teams in the Chinese Super League, which started less than 20 years ago, in 2004.

And there are an incredible 20 teams that are no longer part of it, with 19 of them defunct! That's a heck of a drop-out rate!

How's Li Tie doing? I hope he's not still in prison…

I don't see the Saudi league being a long term problem for the rest of the world. Short-term certainly they will rope in some big names just as China did, the MLS and the J league have in the past. But fundamentally, there is only one team in their league that attracts crowds over 30,000. 11 of the teams average less than 9,000. There isn't the level of interest there due to various factors including the fact it's boiling hot, they've no history etc As Mike pointed out the investment fund just acquired the top four clubs. That wouldn't fly in the champions league with ownership rules. Presently there is controversy there as Ronaldo is illegally living with his gf. Clerics have called for his arrest. The Crown Prince is walking a delicate tightrope making exceptions for him, and others whilst clinging to power with support from hardline clerics. There's a decent chance of political upheaval which would disrupt more than the league.

Except that oil revenues are not so important now since they sold their oil futures long ago.

When I was working in Kuwait 40ish years ago I knew some guys from the Kuwaiti Investment Board who told me Kuwait were seriously looking at stopping oil production as they were making more money from other investments.

Saudi is not far behind.

I get the feeling the PL is reviewing their relations with clubs as they take on clients with baggage. The chance of a runaway league is declining as siperstar player status is limited. They can only sparkle fans’ eyes with a Messi or Ronaldo. You can’t just give someone a star billing, they must have proven themselves somewhere the Saudis aren’t in charge. Maybe a clause terminating payments to defectors could be used.

And finally if they do get a league it will be Primadonna FC v Sporting Tiki Taka Caca. The players will have such power that they will influence refereeing standards. Minimization of injuries will be ruthlessly pursued to the detriment of the product. I’d rather see real football with some spirited tackles thank you very much.

Yes exactly, this seems extraordinary. We don't know all the details, but how on earth can a league be fair, competitive or free of rampant conflicts of interest where the same state investment fund owns 4 of its top teams...?! There would be uproar / meltdown here if HM Government decided to acquire City, Arsenal, Man United and Newcastle (to take this year's top 4)...

£86M per year. Playing or not, awake or asleep, £9,817 per hour (OK it reduces to 9,790 in a leap year, so there is that). For a player winding down in his career.

This Monopoly-on-steroids "money" would be alright if it operated somewhat horizontally in its own world but it doesn't. It reaches down like a huge vacuum cleaner and sucks up all the value and energy from below in much the same way globalism is stealing life away right now.

It's getting hard to feel comfortable about this whole circus.

Benzema's deal works out at almost exactly double Kante's figures, above post.

I ran across -- but forgot to post -- this article about the Chinese TV coverage of the game 20 years ago between Everton and City featuring Li Tie and Sun Jihai, at a time when we were wildly popular in China.

https://thechinaproject.com/2023/02/13/li-tie-vs-sun-jihai-the-most-watched-english-soccer-match-in-china/

The Chinese Super League, founded the following year, obviously became as large a mess as their national team. Apparently there was massive corruption in the corporations that sponsored the teams in many cities. It probably would have benefited from more government domination like we're seeing in Saudi Arabia.

A new league rule prohibits the signing of old foreign players -- signees have to be under 30. The last big-name foreigner I heard about playing there is Oscar from Chelsea, still playing for Shanghai Port, where our old friend Tyias Browning also now plies his trade.

If true let's watch and see. It could end being another China experiment, or like the predecessor to the MLS in the States during the late 70s?

You touch on apoint Michael.

The UK has big defence contracts with Saudi. Selling capability, a permanent military presence providing training and guidance. We even deployed troops to help them protect oil fields.

All open source.

If true let's watch and see. It could end being another China experiment, or like the predecessor to the MLS in the States during the late 70s?

You touch on apoint Michael.

The UK has big defence contracts with Saudi. Selling capability, a permanent military presence providing training and guidance. We even deployed troops to help them protect oil fields.

All open source.

it doesn't seem so long ago that some of the big sports pay deals of several million in the 'States bordered on the unbelievable. This now, is bananas.

These countries offer zilch to the progess of the world and its problems through their own ingenuity!

Perhaps, Moshiri should buy a team from Azerbaijan and try tempting Mbappe and loaning him to EFC?

I thought that was the case too, buy a player for £47M and then immediately loan him out to a 'friendly' club. These super powered clubs will run rings round the authorities in the next few years.

Chelsea have had a go already and doubtless the other rich clubs will begin to do similar things to circumvent the rules, which it would seem only the less well funded clubs have to abide by.