BeIN's flagship sports network beIN Sports holds the single largest portfolio of sports rights of any global broadcaster.
UAE telco operator Etisalat by e& has issued a statement that beIN channels on its TV platform may not be available, effective June 1, 2023. Although no official reasons were given for the decision, market forces speculate that the two parties may not have been able to come to an agreement on pricing when the contract was up for renewal.
The release said: “Etisalat by e& informs its valued customers and stakeholders that beIN channels on elife TV may not be available effective 1st June 2023. Further updates will be communicated to our valued customers via email, SMS and/or on our website on or before 1st June 2023.”
BeIN Media Group owns the MENA broadcast rights to many of the international premium sports championships and previously enjoyed a monopoly. Its flagship sports network beIN Sports still holds the single largest portfolio of sports rights of any global broadcaster. In recent months, however, other players in the UAE have also snapped up the rights to many regional and international tournaments with Elife and streaming platform StarzPlay having picked up the broadcast rights to the Indian Premier League and Series A among other premium sports content.
BeIN seems to have run into similar trouble in Australia as well with Foxtel announcing on May 23 that all BeIN Sports content will be removed from its pay-tv and Kayo Sports platforms from June 30.
In the meantime, beIN’s contract with the UAE’s only other telco operator du is also up for renewal at the end of June.
BroadcastPro ME has reached out to beIN for comment.
