Sport's Growing Grip on MENA Media
With CABSAT 2025 set to spotlight the convergence of sport, streaming and strategy, the region's media economy is being redefined from hyper-local fan coverage to global rights battles, and from grassroots passion to platform innovation.
There's an unusual energy rippling through the Middle East's broadcast and streaming landscape – a sense that the game is changing, both literally and figuratively. Sport, in particular, has become a compelling force, not just for audiences but for those bringing it to them. From international rights deals to hyper-local fan engagement, sport is opening commercial doors and reconfiguring the media economy.
Smashi Sports, for instance, has tapped into grassroots passion, venturing into club-level coverage in the UAE to capture local content. At the other end of the spectrum, we see mega-rights deals being snapped up, aligning the Middle East with global viewership trends and creating both opportunities and challenges around monetisation, localisation and scale. Until recently, that space was largely the domain of beIN Sports. But as our cover story this month reveals, evision and StarzPlay are making a huge impact, particularly in the world of cricket.
It's against this backdrop that CABSAT takes place this year. The show has become a convergence point for technology, creativity and strategy, with vendors, broadcasters and content platforms looking to the future together. As content consumption habits evolve and sport continues to attract new investment, I'm excited to be moderating a panel at CABSAT focused on the role of sport in driving broadcast innovation. It's a timely conversation that reflects the pace, complexity and promise of the market we serve. But that's just one of many conversations shaping the region that will be explored at CABSAT.
In the meantime, the third edition of the BroadcastPro Manufacturer Awards returns this year with a brand-new Satellite element. These awards have become an important platform for innovation, visibility and recognition, particularly for those pushing boundaries without the marketing muscle to make themselves heard. I hope you participated in the awards. If not, there's always next year.
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