Examining the Middle East’s New-Found Status as the Home of Sports Events
For many years, Las Vegas has long been the traditional home to highly-anticipated sporting events. In boxing, the famous MGM Grand Garden Arena hosted the record-breaking contest between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao in 2015, while Madison Square Garden and the T-Mobile Arena have also held globally-watched events. Although Nevada plays a significant role in modern-day sports, the Middle East’s importance to the sporting world is beginning to shine through. As such, let’s examine how the region has become integral to global events and also consider what the future holds.
Hosting Major Sporting Events
Over the last few years, increasing numbers of promotions have sought to broaden their horizons and explore the Middle East’s potential. Recently, this desire to test the water in the region saw Anthony Joshua’s rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr. take place at the Diriyah Arena in Saudi Arabia. Across the world, approximately 1.8 million people watched the event, which brought a lot of attention to the Middle’s East growing status as a modern-day sporting home. The venue was purpose-built for the event, showcasing the desire to go above and beyond to create the perfect environment for high-level boxing.
Fascinatingly, the region has long boasted a proud involvement with combat sports. Aside from boxing, the Middle East first welcomed the Ultimate Fighting Championship back in April 2010, when Anderson Silva defeated Damian Maia by decision at UFC 112. Since then, several more events have taken place on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, including Khabib Nurmagomedov’s lightweight title defense against Dustin Poirier in September 2019 and Karmaru Usman’s long-awaited bout with Jorge Masvidal the following year. The growth of MMA in the Middle East has helped bring through local talent, including Ramsey Nijem, who spent four years with the UFC.
Along with combat sports, the Middle East has recently become increasingly involved in the Indian Premier League. In 2014, the United Arab Emirates hosted the first half of the tournament, with India hosting the second half. Six years later, the entire competition took place in the UAE, and the event broke viewership figures, recording a 28 percent spectator increase.
What’s Likely to Follow and the Impact of Relevant Side Industries
Now, discussions revolve around how much further the Middle East can develop its reputation as a go-to location for sporting events. As highlighted by the rematch between Joshua and Ruiz, the region pulls out all the stops in its efforts to guarantee a successful event. Because of that, there’s no reason that other sports shouldn’t look to broaden their horizons. In the coming years, the MLB, NBA, and NFL may play some games in the Middle East. Recently, these organizations have expanded, as showcased by the MLB London Series, which took place at the London Stadium in 2019-20. Furthermore, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium welcomed the Chicago Bears and Oakland Raiders for an NFL match back in October 2019. Regarding basketball, the NBA’s commissioner, David Stern, told Sport360 that the league will look to hold exhibition games in the Middle East in the future.
There are many reasons why the Middle East is a promising area for top-level sports, but it’s impossible to overlook the value that the region’s relevant side industries offer. To help serve the new-found sporting demand, the growth of local sports betting, in particular, has undoubtedly enhanced the appeal of holding sports events in the Middle East. At the trusted operators and top gambling sites listed at Arabian Betting, spectators across the region can now bet on various sports using reliable payment methods, such as e-wallets and cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin. This is further evidence of the enthusiasm for huge sporting events in the region.
The Future Looks Bright
Of course, there are no guarantees as to what the future holds for sports in the Middle East. That said, current patterns indicate that the region will enjoy an upward trajectory regarding the volume of hosted sporting events. Aside from cricket and combat sports, the NBA has hinted at a move to the transcontinental area in the near future, highlighting the Middle East’s appeal is continuing to grow.
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