Saudi Arabia invests to turn young generation into sports fans

Saudi Arabia is working to engage its sports fans from the bottom up.

As Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pours billions of dollars into international golf, tennis and football, Danny Townsend, CEO of Saudi Arabia’s SURJ Sports Investments, says it’s vital to get the young generation hooked early in their lives.

“Frankly, I care far more about engaging a 10-year-old in a sport we invest in than engaging someone my age,” Townsend said in a panel discussion about sports at the Milken Summit. “If we get the product right and deliver it the right way for that young fan, the long-term value follows.”

Ben Harburg, the American investor who founded MSA Capital and bought Saudi Arabia’s Al-Kholood pro soccer club in July, said he’s constantly amazed by the dedication of local fans.

“I’ve had fans come up to me at matches with printed A4 pages – line-by-line recommendations on how we should compete in the league, which players to pursue, what style of play to adopt, even preferred formations,” Harburg said.