This is part of the broadcaster’s beINSPIRED initiative, which aims to elevate the profile of under-represented sports globally.
BeIN Media Group has announced that the remainder of the UEFA Women’s Champion’s League (UWCL) will be available as a free-to-air (FTA) broadcast across all of beIN’s 24 markets in the MENA region, both on linear and via streaming.
The announcement is the latest in a number of measures taken by the global media group to boost exposure and interest in historically non-mainstream sports, through its beINSPIRED initiative. The mission behind beINSPIRED is to elevate the profile of under-represented sports globally, and to recognise the value that all sports – and women’s sport in particular – play in the international sports eco-system.
It is the second year that beIN is broadcasting the UWCL on FTA social channels, with the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) Féminine knock-out matches in the UWCL also aired on Facebook and on the PSG Féminine website in May 2021. This initiative in 2021 saw over 200,000 viewers – a record – watch the PSG Féminine matches, with approximately a third visiting the beIN Facebook page for the first time. In 2019, beIN broadcast the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 41 countries around the world – more countries than any other broadcaster.
Recent research from Deloitte has referenced that fan interest in women’s sport has increased not just amongst sports fans, but the average viewer. 84% of sports fans watch at least one women’s sport during the year, and over two-thirds of viewers watch at least one women’s event sport during the year.
BeIN will broadcast the 2022 UWCL quarter-final matches on the beIN Sports FTA linear channel, as well as beIN Sports’ YouTube channel in MENA.
The remaining matches of the tournament will also be broadcast in the same way through the second quarter of the year, with the final being aired on May 22, 2022. The UWCL tournament will enter the quarter-finals stage later this month, with Bayern taking on PSG, alongside Real Madrid tackling Barcelona, on March 22. This will be followed by Juventus vs. Lyon and Arsenal vs. Wolfsburg the next day.
Yousef Al-Obaidly, Group CEO of beIN Media Group, said: “BeIN’s commitment to women’s sport is proven not only by the unparalleled range of women’s sports rights that we hold, but also how we promote those rights in a way that gives female talent maximum exposure. We are delighted to showcase the UEFA Women’s Champions League to established and new fans in the MENA region on our FTA beIN Sports linear channel and also online. We’re also pleased to make this announcement on International Women’s Day as part of our beINSPIRED initiative, which has a particular focus on giving female athletes and talent – both on-screen and off-screen – elevated recognition on the global stage.”
In 2021, beIN Sports was the official broadcaster of the UEFA Women’s Champions League; CAF Women’s Champions League; the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics; every women’s tennis Grand Slam (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open) all across the MENA region; the 2021 WTA Tour in MENA, France, Turkey, and Australia, Billie Jean King Cup 2021 – the World Cup of Women’s Tennis – in MENA, France and Australia; the W Series in the US, Canada and MENA, a range of PSG Féminine games in various markets; as well as key women’s events from handball, basketball, swimming and much more. beIN Sports is also gearing up to broadcast the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 in MENA this summer and the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics. In addition, just last month, beIN acquired the rights to the Vitality Women’s FA Cup for the remainder of the 2021/22 season, to be aired in the MENA region.
