MADRID: La Liga and Strive Sports & Entertainment, a Bahrain-based sports, media and entertainment company, signed a partnership at the weekend to boost the Spanish league’s growth in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia markets.
Strive has acquired a 50 percent stake in La Liga MENA & South Asia, a company based regionally in Dubai for over 11 years.
Javier Tebas, president of La Liga, said in a statement the pact would “unlock new markets and opportunities, working hand in hand with a partner that brings strong professionalism, reputation, and influence across the region.”
Abdulla Al-Zain, chairman of Strive Sports & Entertainment, stated: “This partnership represents an important step in advancing Strive’s regional and global portfolio, and we look forward to the opportunities it will create.”
The company has 20 professionals based across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iraq, Egypt, Morocco, India, Jordan, and Turkiye.
The organization has over 40 partners and five football academies in the region, and a strategic consultancy agreement in Iraq.
La Liga has a total audience of over 500 million, and more than 55 million followers across regional social media channels.
Maite Ventura, MD of La Liga MENA & South Asia, added: “This agreement reinforces our long-term commitment to a region we view as essential to La Liga’s global growth.
“We aim to be closer to our fans, better understand their habits, and forge local alliances that will allow us to continue delivering sustainable value over time.”
