BeIN hails ‘massive’ IP win as Saudi Newcastle takeover fails
The failure of Saudi Arabia’s proposed takeover of Premier League club Newcastle United has been hailed as a “massive day for the protection of IP rights”.
A consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) withdrew its interest in acquiring the club yesterday, July 30.
The previous day, Saudi Arabia formally appealed against a World Trade Organisation (WTO) decision which found that it had failed to apply criminal sanctions to the pirate broadcaster beoutQ.
The Newcastle bid has proven controversial since it was first announced. This is due to alleged human rights abuses, including the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as well as piracy concerns involving beoutQ.
Qatari broadcaster beIN Media, whose content has been pirated on the beoutQ platform, has been adamant that the deal should not have been allowed to go ahead.
BeIN is the Premier League’s exclusive broadcast partner in the Middle East and North Africa region.
In a LinkedIn post, David Sugden, senior legal counsel at BeIN, welcomed the latest news on the takeover: “For three years barely anyone believed us, listened or cared. Immensely proud there’s finally some accountability. A massive day for the protection of IP rights.”
The PIF-led consortium withdrew its interest due to delays in clearing the Premier League’s Owners’ and Directors’ Test. This process is applied to any proposed takeover of a Premier League club.
In the case of the PIF consortium, the test began 16 weeks ago—an unusually lengthy period of time.
The Premier League has not commented publicly on the test, or on the ultimate collapse of the takeover.
But The Athletic reports that concerns over the theft of the Premier League’s IP were an insurmountable hurdle for the Saudi consortium.
Since the WTO issued its ruling last month, Saudi Arabia has publicly defended its IP system, but permanently banned BeIN Media from operating in the country.
That left Saudi viewers with no legal means of watching Premier League football, including prospective Newcastle United matches next season.
The move clashed with public statements reaffirming Saudi Arabia’s commitment to IP rights, and made it less clear than ever how the takeover could be allowed to proceed.
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