Saudi firm sponsors Newcastle United in $31.4m-a-year deal

Saudi company Sela has been announced as Newcastle United’s new front of shirt sponsor in a multi-year deal worth around £25 million ($31.4 million) a year. (Newcastle United)
Saudi company Sela has been announced as Newcastle United’s new front of shirt sponsor in a multi-year deal worth around £25 million ($31.4 million) a year. (Newcastle United)
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Updated 10 June 2023
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Saudi firm sponsors Newcastle United in $31.4m-a-year deal

Saudi firm sponsors Newcastle United in $31.4m-a-year deal
  • Magpies announced the record-breaking deal on Friday as they launched their new kit for the 2023/24 Premier League and Champions League campaigns

NEWCASTLE: Saudi company Sela has been announced as Newcastle United’s new front of shirt sponsor in a multi-year deal worth around £25 million ($31.4 million) a year to the club.

The Magpies announced the record-breaking deal on Friday as they launched their new kit for the 2023/24 Premier League and Champions League campaigns. 

Sports event agency Sela, which describes itself as “the driving force behind a wide range of spectacular events, iconic destinations, and attractions in the Middle East”, replaces Chinese betting firm Fun88.

The deal dwarfs the near £6 million-a-year agreement with Fun88, and further strengthens the club’s Saudi connections, with Noon the club’s sleeve sponsor again next season. While the length of the deal was not disclosed, it is widely expected to make Newcastle upwards of £100 million over the contract.

Ibrahim Mohtaseb, Senior Vice President at Sela, said: “This partnership is about Sela being part of the next chapter for the club.

“It’s about us supporting the men’s, women’s and academy teams. And it’s about bringing to life world-class experiences, which is at the heart of what we do as a company.

“For Sela, it all started with football more than 25 years ago. Today, we have grown into a multi-faceted company creating experiences that millions of people enjoy each year, across a range of sport, entertainment, hospitality and retail settings. Now we are embarking on the next stage of our international growth.

“Where we can put our resources and innovation to good use for the benefit of fans, the club and the wider communities it serves, we will do so.”

The club’s new home shirt, a nod to the retro kit worn by club legend Kevin Keegan in the 1980s, is set to go on sale online and at the club shop from Saturday.

News is still awaited on the away and third kits, however Arab News has been told one of those will be a reverse of the third kit from this campaign, described by many as the “Saudi strip.” Instead of white with green trim, this will instead be reversed, a near exact copy of Saudi Arabia’s main kit.

The Sela deal was approved by the Premier League, which ruled that the price was fair and there were no concerns over the company’s links to Newcastle’s Saudi owners PIF.

Darren Eales, CEO at Newcastle United, said: “We are delighted to welcome Sela. This partnership follows a highly competitive commercial process.

“We team up at an exciting time in the history of both organizations. Both share an ambitious vision to expand their brands globally.

“Fan engagement is central to what we do at Newcastle United and in Sela, we are partnering with an organization with shared interests.

“Closer to home, we will work closely on the design and operation of a new fan zone area at St. James’ Park, taking inspiration from Sela’s incredible properties elsewhere.”

Peter Silverstone, Newcastle United’s Chief Commercial Officer, said: “Sela joins us on our exciting journey back into the UEFA Champions League, enabling us to reach and engage with an even greater global audience together. 

“We are proud to put their brand at the front and center of our next stage of growth as an elite global Premier League club.

“We believe they will market our club and brand accordingly, boosting our aim to be the most supported Premier League club in Saudi Arabia – a country with a young, digitally savvy population that is hugely passionate about football.”


India and Pakistan on track for cricket gold-medal showdown at Asian Games

India and Pakistan on track for cricket gold-medal showdown at Asian Games
Updated 03 October 2023
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India and Pakistan on track for cricket gold-medal showdown at Asian Games

India and Pakistan on track for cricket gold-medal showdown at Asian Games
  • Match between Pakistan and India will be influential as Olympic Committee ponders cricket being added to 2028 Los Angeles Olympics
  • The final on Saturday could be overshadowed by the start of the Cricket World Cup in India, which opens on Thursday

HANGZHOU, China: India and Pakistan moved closer to a potential Asian Games showdown for the gold medal in cricket after picking up victories on Tuesday in the quarterfinals.
Any match between Pakistan and India draws a massive television audience and will be influential as the International Olympic Committee ponders cricket being added to the program for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The final on Saturday, however, could be overshadowed by the start of the Cricket World Cup in India, which opens on Thursday.
The IOC has given no clear timetable when a decision about cricket will be made.
Cricket appeared in the Olympics for the only time at the 1900 Paris Games.
India managed a 23-run victory over Nepal on Tuesday. Yashasvi Jaiswal scored a century from 49 deliveries to help India reach 202-4 from its allotted 20 overs after winning the toss and electing to bat.
“I’m really proud and really happy and grateful,” Jaiwsal said of getting the century. “It was a great feeling. It’s a proud moment whenever you represent your country, especially India. I’m just so glad and happy to represent India and proud of myself for going out there to express myself and my game.”
Nepal was restricted to 179-9 in reply, with Avesh Khan and Ravi Bishnoi each taking three wickets for India.
Pakistan put up a 68-run victory over Hong Kong in another quarterfinal match. Pakistan reached 160-10 and Hong Kong was limited to 92-10.

CANOE SPRINT

Everywhere you look, China dominates. China won nine of 12 medals in canoe sprint, which wrapped up on Tuesday. This is typical of the way the Asian Games host finds athletes to excel across a vast array of Olympic sports.
Canoe sprint athletes were also primed after appearing in the sport’s world championships in August in Duisburg, Germany, which served as the main qualification event for next year’s Paris Olympics.
“All four of us are very happy because we have been working hard for a long time,” said Zhang Dong, a member of the winning 500-meter men’s kayak four team.
“Including qualifying for the Olympics at the world championships, I really feel it’s not easy,” Zhang added. “We have already been preparing for two years, just to qualify for the Olympics, and to win the gold medal at this Asian Games, I’m so happy.”

ROAD CYCLING

Three-time Olympic medalist Olga Zabelinskaya of Uzbekistan won the women’s time trial in 24 minutes, 35.99 seconds. Zabelinskaya was a silver medalist at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and won two bronze medals at the 2012 London Games.
The silver medal in the 20-kilometer race went to Eri Yonamine of Japan, who was 59.60 seconds behind. Rinata Sultanova of Kazakstan took bronze.
Alexey Lutsenko of Kazakhstan won the men’s race in 48:05.75. Xue Ming and China took silver and Vincent Lau Wan Yau of Hong Kong won bronze.


EA FC 24: What are Ronaldo, Neymar, Benzema’s Saudi Pro League teams like to play with?

EA FC 24: What are Ronaldo, Neymar, Benzema’s Saudi Pro League teams like to play with?
Updated 03 October 2023
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EA FC 24: What are Ronaldo, Neymar, Benzema’s Saudi Pro League teams like to play with?

EA FC 24: What are Ronaldo, Neymar, Benzema’s Saudi Pro League teams like to play with?
  • Arab News slides into latest football game from EA Sports to see how SPL represented

RIYADH: “EA FC 24” is the new name for EA Sports’ dominant football game. Once known as “FIFA,” the series developer and publisher recently split with world football’s governing body.

The move has ushered in a new era for fans who may be pleased to know that the on-pitch action is slicker while still providing a roller coaster of emotion, similar to the real thing.

One of the reasons EA Sports ended its 30-year association with FIFA was to explore new opportunities and partnerships that were once a conflict of interest.

The first instalment feels like a familiar pair of football boots – a safe addition with which players will instantly feel comfortable.

Dramatic changes are likely being kept in the locker room for future editions, as development is tight on annually released video games. So, what, if any, changes have appeared for the teams in the Saudi Pro League?

The good

All 18 SPL teams from the current 2023-24 season are included in “EA FC 24.” From title holders Al-Ittihad to newly promoted Al-Riyadh and all those in between.

The sudden influx of international stars that gave transfer expert Fabrizio Romano sleepless nights is up to date. The likes of Sadio Mane (Al-Nassr), Neymar (Al-Hilal), and Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad) line up for their new sides and, in doing so, lift the overall star rating and playability of each side.

So, fans of the clubs that made big moves in the summer can play as their favorite team online without fear of being hammered each time.

It is also great to see the Roshn Saudi League idents for the TV-style coverage before, during, and after the games, creating another layer of authenticity.

Saudi football fans may also be pleased to note that many more people use SPL teams online this year. By setting the Seasons or Co-Op settings to fit a favorite club, a similar match-up can quickly be found.

Previously, in “FIFA,” players could sit in an online lobby for what felt like hours and would rarely find an equal matchup for Damac or similar. Opening up the restrictions would inevitably lead to one-sided games against Manchester City, PSG, and Real Madrid on repeat.

There is also a big matchday feel to local derbies, too. EA Sports has added a little more drama to the likes of Al-Nasser versus Al-Hilal with more background on the long-lasting rivalry that comes through the pre-game presentation and in-game commentary.

The not-so-good

There are only two official stadiums from the SPL in “EA FC 24” — the faithfully recreated King Abdullah Sports City and King Fahd Stadium.

The eagle-eyed will notice these are the same stadia featured in last year’s “FIFA 23.”

Although fans may be disappointed, the approach is not limited to the Saudi teams.

For example, the Dutch Eredivisie only has Ajax and PSV, and Portugal’s Liga comes with FC Porto and Benfica official stadiums. Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami stadium is not even in the game.

Inside the stadiums, as the cameras pan the crowds or pitchside crew and security, there is not much Arab representation. In fact, players will not find any traditional dress anywhere in the grounds. It may seem like a minor issue for a sports game, but it matters.

The game currently uses the same animated crowd as it does in every other stadium and switches the football shirts to match.

You can forgive EA Sports for using the likenesses of the licensed commentary and pundit teams they use in the game’s EA TV presentation, such as Stewart Robson and Derek Rae. But finding a fan in the stadium sporting a thobe or abaya is currently impossible and feels like a missed opportunity.

Stadium chants are also off-target. When Cristiano Ronaldo scores for Al-Nassr, the home crowd erupts into a baffling rendition of Manchester United fans’ “Viva Ronaldo.”

The development of “EA FC 24” probably did not leave much time for EA Sports to capture the atmosphere, but hopefully things will be more accurate for the Saudi matchday feel next season.

Lastly, “EA FC 24” does not have all the official kits. Again, this is not an issue solely aimed at the SPL, as other league teams can be seen playing in off-brand outfits. But users are unlikely to be happy if they were looking forward to playing with Al-Okhdood in their licensed shirts.

It is a bit of a mixed bag regarding SPL representation in “EA FC 24.”

It is great to see the teams have been given a statistics boost to reflect the 2023 summer transfers, and playing with them online is fun and a break from using the usual suspects.

EA Sports will build on the entire experience for next season. The explosion of the SPL popularity likely caught them off guard, as it did with most, which is why it currently feels slightly odd. But with the world’s gaze fixed on the league, it is hard to ignore it now.

More than anything, it would be nice to see some distinctive Arab representation around “EA FC 25.”


Rabdan Cycling Team partners with Arada ahead of new season

Rabdan Cycling Team partners with Arada ahead of new season
Updated 03 October 2023
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Rabdan Cycling Team partners with Arada ahead of new season

Rabdan Cycling Team partners with Arada ahead of new season
  • Sponsorship to cover key costs for Abu Dhabi’s first amateur cycling team, including monthly training at Masaar Track in Sharjah

DUBAI: Abu Dhabi’s first-ever amateur cycling team, Rabdan, has partnered with property developer Arada ahead of the 2023-2024 racing season.

Founded in 2016, Rabdan Cycling Team consists of 10 core racing members and 20 community riders, all of whom are Emirati. The team was named after the first horse of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, the late president of the UAE. It was chosen by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, national security advisor of the UAE.

As well as being one of the first amateur teams in the UAE, Rabdan Cycling Team is also one of the most successful, having won the UAE Vice President’s Cup, the Seih Al-Salam Race and other major championships locally.

Arada’s support will enable Rabdan Cycling Team to register for local races, insure bikes, pay for team kit, and allow members to attend a training camp in Italy. In addition, Rabdan will also train at the new Masaar Track facility in Sharjah, which has been developed by Arada, on a monthly basis during the new season. The first session took place on Thursday Sept. 28.

Ahmed Alkhoshaibi, group CEO of Arada, said: “Our partnership with Rabdan underlines our commitment to healthy, active living, which we promote in all our communities. We look forward to welcoming Rabdan Cycling Team to Masaar Track, where they will be able to train in a professional, welcoming and natural environment.”

Dr. Mohammed Al-Eissaee, co-leader of Rabdan Cycling Team, said: “This partnership with Arada will enable us to improve our performance, take part in more races both here in the UAE and internationally, and achieve even better race results. We’re also looking forward to testing out the new circuit at Masaar, which is a fantastic new facility for the sport here in the UAE.”

Masaar Track consists of a 6.6-km looped professional circuit that runs through the woodland on the outskirts of the Masaar community, in the up-and-coming Al-Suyoh district of New Sharjah.

The track is one of a number of entertainment, leisure and sporting facilities within the Masaar master plan, which contains 3,000 villas and townhouses and more than 50,000 trees. The first homes at Masaar will be completed at the end of the year.


Cricket superstar Virat Kohli launches Blue Rising to compete in new electric powerboating series

Cricket superstar Virat Kohli launches Blue Rising to compete in new electric powerboating series
Updated 03 October 2023
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Cricket superstar Virat Kohli launches Blue Rising to compete in new electric powerboating series

Cricket superstar Virat Kohli launches Blue Rising to compete in new electric powerboating series
  • The Blue Rising team will compete against the electric RaceBird outfits announced by Tom Brady, Rafael Nadal, Steve Aoki, Didier Drogba, Sergio Perez
  • Former Indian cricket captain spearheads the team in the UIM E1 World Championship in partnership with UAE-based sports tech entrepreneur Adi K. Mishra

DUBAI: The latest team to join the UIM E1 World Championship, the first all-electric powerboating series, will have a duo of high-profile principals at the helm of The Blue Rising Team in cricket superstar Virat Kohli and sports technology entrepreneur Adi K. Mishra.

Former captain of the Indian cricket team and ICC Cricketer of the Year in 2017 and 2018, Kohli is regarded as one of the game’s greatest batsmen, and boasts an Instagram following of 260 million.

“I want to inspire people to have a competitive spirit and to raise awareness about sustainability issues, something I am becoming more and more passionate about as we build a family,” Kohli said. “I can’t wait to cheer for our male and female pilots racing for our team. I’m looking forward to lining up against the likes of Tom Brady, Rafa Nadal, Sergio Perez, Steve Aoki and Didier Drogba — we’re going electric, we’re going flying over the water and we’re going to try to win it for The Blue Rising.”

The Blue Rising Team name was chosen to draw attention to marine conservation and the threat posed by rising sea levels around the world, and also as a celebration of the color at the heart of India’s sports teams.

Kohli will be supported by leading entrepreneur and League Sports Co. Founder and CEO Adi K. Mishra. The LSC is a sports technology holding company that owns and operates sports teams, gaming businesses, and brands including the World Bowling League.

“We are excited to partner with one of the best athletes of our generation and arguably one of the best batsmen in the history of cricket,” said Mishra. “It has also been a pleasure to work alongside Bunty Sajdeh, CEO of Cornerstone Sport & Entertainment, who has played a key role.

“And the firm has already brought insightful conversations with brands that share our combined values with the UIM E1 World Championship of sustainability and gender inclusion. We are keen to explore partnerships with the UIM E1 World Championship and some of the other team owners with the World Bowling League in order to elevate both sports.”

The inaugural season, scheduled to start in February 2024, will see up to 10 teams and 20 mixed-gender pilots racing on the water in iconic cities around the world, with the US due to host a race in season two.

Rodi Basso, co-founder and CEO of the championship, said: “The start line for the first season of the UIM E1 World Championship is filling up fast, and our seventh team is a big one for us. Virat Kohli’s passion for sustainability, combined with Adi’s ability to drive success, will make The Blue Rising Team a force to be reckoned with on the water.”

Meanwhile Alejandro Agag, co-founder and chairman of the UIM E1 World Championship — and also chairman of the one-seater electric series Formula E — revealed his delight at announcing another “fantastic team” to the new sport.

“Spearheaded by cricket superstar Virat Kohli, The Blue Rising Team says it all in their name,” he said. “No doubt on the water, their sportsmanship will allow their team to thrive and guide their team to success. Off the water, their strength in championing sport with purpose is something we want to elevate and by joining forces together especially with our diverse fan base, I believe we can inspire and educate future generations. The race is on and I cannot wait for the first race of the UIM E1 World Championship in Jeddah next year.”


Nuggets gear up for title defense, guard against complacency as NBA scenery changes with big trades

Nuggets gear up for title defense, guard against complacency as NBA scenery changes with big trades
Updated 03 October 2023
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Nuggets gear up for title defense, guard against complacency as NBA scenery changes with big trades

Nuggets gear up for title defense, guard against complacency as NBA scenery changes with big trades
  • What the two-time NBA MVP and the Nuggets can see quite clearly is a path toward repeating, despite losing veteran leader/sixth-man Bruce Brown through free agency
  • Just before camps opened, the NBA saw the landscape dramatically change with some big names being traded

DENVER: Nikola Jokic couldn’t take his gaze off the NBA championship trophy sitting next to his arm.

The Denver Nuggets big man stared and stared at the list of teams engraved on the shiny gold prize, before something suddenly hit him.

“They didn’t put our name on here,” he said Monday at media day.

Actually, it was — on the very front, where Jokic couldn’t quite see.

What the two-time NBA MVP and the Nuggets can see quite clearly is a path toward repeating, despite losing veteran leader/sixth-man Bruce Brown through free agency.

That’s provided, of course, they can guard against one thing — complacency.

“No one cares what you did last season,” said Nuggets coach Michael Malone, whose team beat Miami in five games to win the NBA title. “We had success in that moment. But that moment is gone. We have a new opportunity and challenge in front of us.”

The Nuggets certainly enjoyed the summer after winning the franchise’s first NBA crown. There were parades and parties before scattering for the offseason.

Jokic headed back to Sombor, Serbia, where he did a little bit of everything. He was spotted doing flips into a river off a rubber raft, dancing at a party with family and friends, hanging out with Aaron Gordon who paid him a visit and watching his beloved horses race.

Any chance to touch a basketball?

“A couple times,” Jokic said. “Not much.”

“No, he didn’t,” point guard Jamal Murray playfully chided.

The team simply trusts Jokic to be his triple-double self come the season. He averaged 30 points, 13.5 rebounds and 9.5 assists in the postseason on his way to winning the Finals MVP. It more than made up for the fact he lost out to Philly’s Joel Embiid in his bid to win a third straight NBA MVP.

“I never tell Nikola to go home and work on a lefty jump hook,” Malone said. “The greatest challenge for Nikola is to continue to find ways to be a leader and to be more vocal.”

Just before camps opened, the NBA saw the landscape dramatically change with some big names being traded. Damian Lillard is now with Milwaukee and Jrue Holiday wound up with Boston. Holiday’s older brother, Justin, plays for the Nuggets and said their dad sent a message on the family’s text chain.

“Something like, ‘I’m excited for you. Congrats. You all are going to get a championship,’” Justin Holiday recounted with a laugh. “I’m like, ‘Hold on.’ I mean, I’m excited for him, but ...”

The Nuggets have a void to fill with the departure of Brown, who signed a two-year, $45-million deal with the Indiana Pacers. Christian Braun will see a bump in minutes after his dependable play last season as a rookie. So, too, will veteran guard Reggie Jackson. The team also lost the leadership of Jeff Green and Ish Smith.

“I think right now a lot of teams view the league, quite frankly, as wide open,” general manager Calvin Booth said. “We’re going to be hunted — can we still have a hunter’s mindset?“

Murray definitely believes so. So does Michael Porter Jr., who pointed out that Denver won even with Murray (knee) and Porter (back) pretty much rehabbing throughout last season.

“To have this summer to make some steps has been amazing,” Porter said.

Murray raised his game in the postseason, averaging 26.1 points and 7.1 assists.

Next step, carry it through an entire season and earn accolades such as All-Star, which Malone fully believes Murray can.

It would be nice and all, but reaching All-Star status is down on his priority list.

“I’d rather be a champion,” Murray said. “A lot of guys are All-Stars, but not champions.”

Josh Kroenke, the president/governor of the Nuggets, has recently seen how difficult it is to win back-to-back titles. One of his other teams, the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, won the Stanley Cup in 2022 but was eliminated in the first-round last season.

His advice?

“Not to allow complacency to set in,” Kroenke said. “When you achieve the ultimate goal, your natural reaction is to ... relax a little bit. We don’t have the exact same rosters we did last year. We have the same starting five, which we feel is the best in the NBA.”

Kroenke said the team is exploring all avenues to remedy the fact that many Nuggets and Avalanche fans can’t watch their teams on local television.

In 2019, the region’s biggest cable operator, Comcast, stopped carrying Altitude due to a disagreement over fees the cable giant was charging to carry the network. The ensuing legal battle has kept the Nuggets off the local airwaves in millions of homes for the last four seasons.

“I can assure you that we’re doing all we can,” Kroenke said. “We want the best for the fans to see their teams.”