Ahead of the return of the Roshn Saudi League's Derby Week, the Saudi Pro League (SPL), in collaboration with leading media-intelligence agency CARMA, has released its media monitoring report on the inaugural Derby Week.
The report analyses media coverage and engagement across 17 RSL matchweeks, averaging six days of monitoring per matchweek.
Significant Increase in Media Coverage
The inaugural Derby Week saw a substantial rise in media coverage compared to the previous matchweeks. Traditional media coverage more than doubled, with 17.7K news articles and reports compared to a weekly average of 8.5K (+108 percent).
On social media, mentions of the SPL increased by 71%, reaching 303.9K posts, compared to the weekly average of 177.7K posts.
Additionally, media reach saw a significant boost, with traditional media exposure increasing by 124.7%, while social-media reach climbed 110.1%, highlighting the growing interest in Derby Week.
Higher Fan Engagement and Media Value
Beyond media coverage, Derby Week also prompted a surge in fan interactions across digital platforms. Social-media engagement rose by 129.2%, reaching 5.5M interactions, compared to an average of 2.4M per matchweek.
Also, media advertising value (AVE) more than doubled, increasing from $91.17M to $219.22M. The total number of digital impressions exceeded 1.34 billion, making it the most visible matchweek of the season and reaffirming the SPL’s growing presence in the global football landscape.
Derby Week vs Other matchweeks
Derby Week outperformed every other matchweek in most key metrics, but it was not the top-performing week in all categories. While it generated 303.9K social media posts, this was the second-highest count of the season, falling 12% behind Week 17, which saw a media surge due to the winter transfer window.
However, Derby Week led in fan engagement, with 5.5M interactions, 36% higher than any other matchweek. It also set a record for digital impressions, at 52% higher than the next-best week.
A Cultural Celebration of Saudi Football
More than just a weekend of high-stakes football, Derby Week showcased the cultural diversity of Saudi football, with three major derbies highlighting the different identities of the kingdom’s football scene.
In Riyadh, the Al Nassr versus Al Hilal derby drew global attention, fuelled by international stars and a growing worldwide fanbase. In Jeddah, Al Ittihad versus Al Ahli reflected deep-rooted local rivalries and strong fan loyalty.
Meanwhile, in the Eastern Province, Al Ettifaq versus Al Qadsiah derby highlighted the competitive spirit of the region, adding another layer of excitement to the league’s story.
Looking Ahead to the second leg of Derby Week
Following the success of the first Derby Week, anticipation is building for the second leg, set to take place on April 4-5.
With competition heating up and media interest at an all-time high, the upcoming matches are expected to further elevate the league’s visibility and engagement.
As the SPL continues to expand its global footprint, Derby Week has cemented itself as a key fixture on the Saudi top-flight calendar, bringing together fans for one of the most exciting and widely followed events of the season.
