Band drops Saudi Pro League coverage after betting sponsor loss
Band has suspended its broadcast contract for the Saudi Arabian football championship. The decision ended the broadcaster's presence in the only foreign league it aired on free-to-air television.
The ban on betting houses operating in Brazil prompted the suspension, according to columnist Gabriel Vaquer of F5 at Folha de S.Paulo. A betting brand sponsored the tournament's broadcast on Band. Without this revenue, the broadcaster could not maintain the financial viability of the games.The cancellation caught professionals by surprise over the weekend of Saturday (October 11). Band had scheduled the broadcast of Al Hilal vs. Al Ittihad for this Saturday (October 10), but cancelled the match about 24 hours before it was due to start.The broadcast package included more than 70 games in total, distributed between free-to-air TV and BandSports, the Grupo Bandeirantes sports channel on pay TV.Impact of betting on BandAmong Brazilian TV networks, the broadcaster had the most active contracts with betting companies. In addition to sponsoring the Saudi tournament, Band had sold the naming rights for the programs Jogo Aberto and Os Donos da Bola to brands in the sector.With the departure of the betting companies, the company is seeking new sponsors to cover the shortfall, but is facing difficulties in closing advertising contracts. Luciana Gimenez's debut on the channel has been postponed to 2027 because of this situation.Who will take over the Saudi Championship?With Band's departure, the tournament will now be broadcast exclusively by X Sports on free-to-air TV. SporTV, owned by Globo, retains its broadcast contract until 2028. Canal Goat, on YouTube, also maintains an active contract.In recent years, the Saudi league has increased its global visibility by signing prominent players from world football. Among the names competing in the tournament are Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mané, Karim Benzema, Theo Hernández, Rúben Neves, and Darwin Núñez. Neymar, who currently plays for Santos, also has experience playing in Saudi Arabia.