Part 1: Why Is Saudi Arabia All-In on Sports?

from Viewpoints Radio · host Ebony McMorris | AURN, Marty Peterson, Evan Rook, Gary Price

In a span of just a few years, the gulf, oil-rich country of Saudi Arabia has made a dramatic leap into the world of international sports. The country formed a new golf league, LIV Golf, which is now a solid competitor to the longstanding organization, PGA of America. They’ve spent many billions of dollars to expand their presence in soccer, reportedly paying Portuguese sensation, Cristiano Ronaldo $213 million dollars a year to play for a prominent Saudi soccer team. Today, they also have a presence in Formula 1 racing, boxing, tennis – the list goes on and on. In part one of this two-part story, we cover the history of sport in Saudi Arabia and some of the explanations behind why the country is so focused on becoming a global sports hub.Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/part-1-why-is-saudi-arabia-all-in-on-sports Linktr.ee | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | SpotifyFacebook: @ViewpointsOnlineX: @viewpointsradioInstagram: @viewpointsradioFull ArchiveContact UsAffiliates & National Syndication Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What this episode covers

In a span of just a few years, the gulf, oil-rich country of Saudi Arabia has made a dramatic leap into the world of international sports. The country formed a new golf league, LIV Golf, which is now a solid competitor to the longstanding organization, PGA of America. They’ve spent many billions of dollars to expand their presence in soccer, reportedly paying Portuguese sensation, Cristiano Ronaldo $213 million dollars a year to play for a prominent Saudi soccer team. Today, they also have a presence in Formula 1 racing, boxing, tennis – the list goes on and on. In part one of this two-part story, we cover the history of sport in Saudi Arabia and some of the explanations behind why the country is so focused on becoming a global sports hub. Learn More: https://viewpointsradio.org/part-1-why-is-saudi-arabia-all-in-on-sports