LONDON, UK: Gfinity (AIM: GFIN), a world-leading esports and gaming solutions provider has been appointed by Saudi Pro League (SPL) as the exclusive esports strategy development partner.
Saudi Pro League (SPL) is responsible for the management and organisation of the top division of professional football in Saudi Arabia. A core ambition of SPL is to strengthen its digital offering, driven by gaming, to increase fan engagement for the league and grow a global audience.
Gfinity’s appointment is with immediate effect and its first assignment is to help bring forward SPL’s virtual football gaming strategy with an emphasis on grassroots’ competition, gameplay, and live experiential events. It will gather input from SPL’s key stakeholders, including the Saudi Esports Federation (SEF), to create this multiyear programme.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is one of the world’s fastest growing gaming nations, benefitting from having two thirds of its population under the age of 35. Saudi Arabian esports and gaming company Savvy Games Group recently announced a $38bn investment strategy to establish KSA as a centre for esports and gaming by 2030.
Saudi Pro League (SPL) Chairman Abdulaziz Alafaleq said: “At SPL, we are strengthening every aspect of how fans access, engage with, and enjoy our league and Saudi football.
“We are also aware of how fans’ consumption of sports is changing. A younger demographic, globally dispersed and connected by technology, makes digital and gaming an important part of our journey to meet the growing demand for SPL and its products.
“Our ambition is to make SPL a leader in the future of football gaming, to provide new products and opportunities which connect fans, engage them with SPL and share the excitement of Saudi football.
“We are delighted to work with the team at Gfinity to deliver these ambitions.”
John Clarke, CEO Gfinity said: “We are excited to work with SPL and its stakeholders to develop their multiyear esports strategy. KSA is fast becoming one of the world’s leading gaming epicentres fuelled by a young population, their passion for gaming and significant investment by the government in every area of the gaming ecosystem. Gfinity will utilise its years of experience working with leading sports rights holders such as Formula 1 and the English Premier League to create a world leading structure and programme.”