Despite Splurging $912,819,924 After Cristiano Ronaldo, Saudi Pro League is Just ‘Entertainment For the Saudis’, Says Top Exec

Saudi Pro League has been splashing a tremendous amount of money in the transfer market this summer. Since the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo in January this year, reportedly $912 million has been splurged in the market to attract top talents and become one of the world’s top competition. However, SPL’s senior league official believes that the league is aimed at providing entertainment for the Saudis.

The Saudi Pro League is a part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s ambitious Vision 2030 project for Saudi Arabia, aiming to reshape the Saudi economy. SPL’s COO spoke about the league’s resurgence and vision, commenting on its future prospects.

Saudi Pro League is a ‘long-term project,’ according to the league’s COO

The Saudi Pro League’s Chief Operating Officer Carlo Nohra was in attendance during Al-Hilal’s unveiling of Brazilian superstar, Neymar Jr. Neymar joins the Saudi League after the addition of big names like Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, and host of other big names. Arab News reported the conversation between AFP & league’s COO Nohra, where he shared his vision for the Saudi Pro League.

While speaking with AFP at the event. He said, “It’s not something that we expect will happen overnight. It’s not a one-weekend event — this is a long-term project, and everybody accepts that that’s what it will take.” Nohra emphasized the sustainability of the league as well, as the Saudi league’s rapid expansion led to comparisons with the Chinese Super League (CSL). The Chinese Super League attracted players for gargantuan amounts of money until the clubs were hit with financial problems.

“And it’s not a function of throwing money at it and it will happen. It is ensuring that we do all the right things along the way to bring everything and everybody and the ecosystem up together,” Nohra said at the event.

Apart from investing in the transfer market, the Saudi Pro League has also invested heavily in infrastructure. The league has also built new stadiums and training facilities, which is part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s ambitious Vision 2030 project for Saudi Arabia.

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Nohra emphasized this point by saying, “This project is part of a transformation project that’s moving this country where it wants to go. It provides the sustenance that we need in order to keep moving forward. Ultimately what we’re really trying to do is deliver, through football, entertainment for the Saudis.”

The Saudi Pro League is still in its early stages, as Nohra believes they’re still learning and evolving. League officials are confident that they are on the right track and will attract more fans throughout the globe.

The signing of Cristiano Ronaldo was a major coup for the Saudi Pro League

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most famous athletes on the planet. His arrival at Al Nassr in January generated a lot of excitement in Saudi Arabia. The league witnessed a significant increase in attendance as well as media attention since his arrival. The SPL has increased the number of sponsors and broadcast deals with international companies. Ever since Ronaldo joined Al Nassr, broadcasting revenue has seen a reported increase of a mammoth 650%.

The arrival of Ronaldo initiated the influx of talent from Europe, with Karim Benzema, Kante, Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, and ultimately Neymar also being welcomed to the league. With the Saudi Pro League already achieving the feat of becoming the number-one league in Asia, Ronaldo’s impact is quite visible.

The Saudi Pro League season has begun, with teams aiming to fight for glory with their star-studded squads. There could be more potential high-profile signings on their way to the Gulf as the transfer window for the SPL ends on September 20.

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