Leaders 2019: "Because of piracy we regard all sports rights as non-exclusive" (Y. Al-Obaidly, beIN)

"We now live in a world where exclusive broadcast rights are, effectively, wholly non-exclusive. Consumers, young and old, are accessing everything for nothing - via a kodi or a VPN or beoutQ - wherever they are, whenever they like, and this behaviour is being normalised. As the largest buyer of sports rights in the world, because of beoutQ in MENA and piracy generally, we now regard all sports rights as non-exclusive and our commercial offers will reflect that. I am also confident that other broadcasters will make similar devaluations," said Yousef Al-Obaidly, CEO of beIN Media Group, at the 2019 edition of the Leaders Sport Business Summit, at Twickenham Stadium in London (ENG), on 08/10/2019. News Tank Football is present at the event.

"In response to piracy generally, putting beoutQ aside, the industry is paying lip service to the problem at best. It’s so tiring to hear from rights-holders that they have done everything beIN has asked, as if beIN has the primary responsibility to define and protect rights owners' property. At the same time, rights-holders are the first to…