'Oil money wasted' Only 670 spectators for the opening game of the Saudi league'Realization'?
Aug 24, 2024
|
|
British media Daily Star paid attention to the bare face of Saudi Arabia's professional league, which is attracting world-class veteran players with oil money.
Daily Star reported on the 24th (Korea time) 'The Saudi professional league suffered the humiliation of only 670 fans entering the opening game' 'It's quite far from the number of spectators the Saudi head of football hopes for a league that has brought in a large number of star players.
After the Saudi Arabian League launched an aggressive oil money offensive last season and was eager to recruit veterans such as N'Golo Kante, Neymar, Kareem Benzema, and Sadio Mane, breaking expectations that it would be somewhat quiet this season and recalling the fact that RT Had signed Moussa Diaby for £50 million. Nacho Fernandez, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Giacomo Bonaventura also mentioned names. According to the Daily Star'Saudi Football's head Michael Emenalo has announced plans to raise public interest in the Saudi professional league through the recruitment of global star players, but the reality is not what it feels like.
Alweda played the opening game of the 2024-2025 season against Aaliyad at the Mecca King Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium, the home of the weekend, with only 670 spectators visiting the stadium, which can accommodate 38,000 people. The Daily Star wrote "There were so many empty seats throughout the thrilling 3-3 draw that few fans cheered in the 94th minute when Alyard's Lucas Kiel equalised 'theatrical" "Those who are familiar with the Saudi professional league know that it is not uncommon for the 'Big 4' club to have such a low number of spectators," he said. "This low number of spectators is a regular phenomenon even though huge amounts of money have been invested in Saudi football over the past 12 months." "Looking at the stars of the past doesn't seem as attractive as league officials expectThe number of spectators lower than that of the English amateur league shows that it is important to foster a soccer culture and promote sports from the grass roots.
When Ronaldo scored the opening match, the number of spectators at the match between Alnasr and Alaed (one-on-one draw) was at least 9,000. In the 2023-2024 season, a little-known and unpopular club recorded fewer than 1,000 spectators, while Alhazem suffered humiliating loss of 117 spectators in a single game.
sky4us@sportschosun.com
