The Saudi Pro League (SPL) has outlined its marketing, communications and content plans for the remainder of the 2024-25 season in a full-day workshop attended by media and marketing units’ representatives at Roshn Saudi League clubs.
The league’s inaugural "Marcom Day", held at the SPL HQ in Riyadh, marks an important step in the league’s endeavours to increase collaboration with its clubs as it continues its pursuit of becoming one of the top domestic competitions in the world in the next few years.
Welcoming participants to the event, SPL General Manager of Marketing Communications and Content, Mohammed Basrawi, highlighted the importance of continued cooperation between the league and its member clubs to achieve common goals including increasing stadium attendances, growing commercial revenues and building brand equity.
During the event, the SPL announced the launch of the first-ever “Legends Week”, taking place during matchweeks 16 and 17. The event offers a platform for clubs to celebrate their legendary players, creating a chance for fans of all ages to connect with the heroes who built their club's legacy while bridging the gap between different generations of supporters.
Clubs then engaged in discussions around RSL Fantasy, the interactive game offering fans the opportunity to earn points and compete for prizes worth more SAR 800,000. The game, launched in November 2023, currently has in excess of 400,000 registered users from 50 countries.
Senior Director of Corporate Communications and Public Relations, Omar Batterjee, shared details of the SPL’s strategic Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative for the 2024-25 season, taking place in cooperation with the Ministry of Health with the aim of boosting awareness of blood-donation and its role in the Kingdom, instilling the programme as a core value within the Saudi Arabian football community.
The SPL team then touched upon key media-related areas, highlighting important updates to the SPL media regulations carried out at the start of the 2024-25 season and delivering interactive sessions on engaging with international media. Those highlighted the value clubs can gain by collecting data using social-media listening, market research, brand-reputation monitoring and traditional-media monitoring.
SPL Content and Digital Strategy units introduced the clubs to the league’s narrative-based approach, positioning the SPL as the world’s most ambitious league, aiming to climb to the top while providing unique storylines that go beyond the 90 minutes of on-pitch action.
Content collaboration between clubs, the SPL, players, sponsors and publishers was highlighted as a crucial driver for growing digital reach and maximising commercial opportunities and monetisation.
With SPL clubs adding more than 44 million new social-media followers during the past 18 months, international growth and its role in growing club brands was at the heart of the discussion. Underlining the league’s key international markets and a guide on deciding a club’s target market were followed by an analysis of the current landscape supported by case studies from France and Japan.
The workshop concluded with a session on digital experience including fan acquisition and engagement, channel strategy, monetisation and "DOs and DON’Ts" of IP rights in broadcast and digital.
"Marcom Day" is the latest in a series of SPL initiatives undertaken since the launch of the SPL transformation strategy in early 2023, aiming to position the league among the world's best. The strategy focuses on nurturing young talent, attracting top international players, improving club governance, and driving competitiveness both on and off the pitch.
