Gulf Times
FIFA and beIN MEDIA GROUP, the global sports and entertainment group (beIN), have yesterday announced a new media rights agreement that will see beIN SPORTS, beIN’s flagship sports network, exclusively broadcast next week’s FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019 in more than 30 countries across Asia and the Middle East and North Africa (Mena). This new deal means that beIN will distribute this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup to more countries than any other global broadcaster, with the iconic football tournament joining beIN’s existing unparalleled portfolio of women’s sports rights which sees the broadcaster showcasing women’s football, tennis, basketball, handball, athletics and a host of other sports on a regular basis across the world. On the same day as the major sports rights deal announcement with FIFA, and on the eve of the Women’s World Cup tournament opening, beIN has also launched a new global project to encourage women and girls across the world to play more sport, under the new branding of ‘beINSPIRED’ . beINSPIRED believes in the power of broadcasting to inspire the next generation of athletes and fans to participate in sport, regardless of gender, race or background. Next week’s FIFA Women’s World Cup will be the ? rst beINSPIRED tournament aired on beIN SPORTS with the new beINSPIRED logo promoted on screens during all matches. In addition to this year’s FIFA
Women’s World Cup, beIN broadcasts thousands of hours of women’s sport throughout the year, which will all now be promoted under the beINSPIRED umbrella, including coverage this summer of Roland Garros and Wimbledon to inspire and celebrate women’s participation in tennis. As part of the project, beIN is also looking to introduce inspiring on-air talent, enter partnerships with rights holders and other brands, and create more digital content to celebrate the most inspiring sporting stories and successes, with more announcements on this to come. Yousef al-Obaidly, CEO of beIN MEDIA GROUP, said: “The FIFA Women’s World Cup is the most anticipated tournament in world sport this year and I’m delighted to announce that beIN subscribers in +30 countries across Asia and the Middle East & North Africa will get to watch some of the best athletes on the planet come together to compete for their country this summer. “On the eve of this outstanding tournament, we are also launching beINSPIRED, which is our stated ambition as a global broadcaster to inspire the next generation to participate in sport, by giving a global platform to events and talent that haven’t, historically, been given the exposure they deserve. This summer we will take our first big step in this project and broadcast more premium women’s sport than any other global broadcaster, and we hope that female fans in the Mena region, and all across the world, will find new heroes and take part in sport.”