In a groundbreaking move, popular French streamer Zack Nani has secured the free-to-air (FTA) rights to the Saudi Pro League matches. This acquisition marks a significant shift in sports broadcasting, as it brings together the worlds of traditional sports and digital streaming.
Nani confirmed to L’Equipe that he has obtained permission to stream up to three games per match week, with an obligation to broadcast at least one. He plans on showcasing more than just one game each week and will make every match available for free on his Twitch and YouTube channels.
With over 618k followers on Twitch and 883k subscribers on YouTube, Nani's platforms offer a substantial audience base for these matches. The deal represents a new era in sports broadcasting where digital influencers can leverage their online presence to secure broadcasting rights traditionally held by large networks.
Significant investment
The acquisition did not come cheaply; Nani is paying a six-figure sum for the rights covering the 2025/26 season. He also holds an option of extending this contract into another campaign. Describing it as his production company's "biggest investment," this venture signifies confidence in his ability to attract viewership and generate returns from this investment.
The agreement was negotiated with IMG, the league’s international rights management agency, covering only FTA portion of the league’s rights. This arrangement leaves room for pay-TV networks interested in acquiring additional packages.
Nani aims at providing an engaging viewer experience by bringing onboard guest panelists during marquee fixtures each week while maintaining simpler commentary setups for other games. Moreover, he intends to utilize media access privileges granted under this deal by conducting player interviews whenever possible. This innovative approach could potentially draw in different fanbases who are looking beyond traditional broadcast methods or those who are already part of Nani's online community.
Saudi Pro League in France
The Saudi Pro League has been previously broadcasted in France by Canal+ for the past two seasons. However, the viewership was relatively low, with an average of just 15,000 viewers for the first 40 games of the 2023/24 campaign.
Nani, French streamer, said:
“When you’re on MyCanal, you’re faced with a crazy football offering. But for free and with the format I’m proposing, I think there’s a way to achieve decent audiences. The idea isn’t to say it’s going to explode, but there’s something to build. The goal is to attract a slightly different audience, one that would be happy to have free football and would discover another way of watching football, with a match that remains the heart of the action but also becomes a platform to develop another format.”
Nani's acquisition and his plans to leverage his digital platforms could potentially attract a larger audience and introduce a new fanbase to the league. This move represents not only a significant milestone for Nani but also an exciting development in sports broadcasting as it continues to evolve with technology and viewer preferences.
