beIN Sports MENA () is a subsidiary of beIN Sports. It is based in Doha, Qatar, serving the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. They are owned by beIN Media Group, a former subsidiary of Al Jazeera Media Network; the sports channels were spun off from Al Jazeera Media Network in December 2013. Following the spin-off, the channels' parent company was incorporated in January 2014 as their holding company. The channels primarily broadcast in Arabic, but it also offers feeds in English, French and Spanish.
Formerly known as Al Jazeera Sport, it was re-named beIN Sports in December 2013 to unify it with Al Jazeera's international group of sports networks in the lead-up to the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
In July 2013, the network acquired MENA rights to the Premier League. On 4 September 2017, the IOC announced a partnership with beIN Sports to launch a local linear version of Olympic Channel for MENA on 1 November 2017.
History
Al Jazeera Sport was founded on 1 November 2003 by Qatari channel Al Jazeera.
On 1 November 2005, the channel launched its new website.
The group of Al Jazeera Sport channels was spun off from Al Jazeera Media Network in December 2013 and subsequently renamed to "beIN Sports" in January 2014; at the same time, the channels' parent company was incorporated as "beIN Media Group".
Channels
The current Arabic-language sports channels in the beIN Sports group: beIN Sports News HD (free-to-air) (focused on International sports news) beIN Sports HD (free-to-air) (focused on Arabic football competitions) beIN Sports 1 (focused on Analytical studio) beIN Sports 2 (focused on English domestic football competitions) beIN Sports 3 (focused on Spanish domestic football competitions) beIN Sports 4 (focused on French domestic football competitions) beIN Sports 5 (focused on German domestic football competitions) beIN Sports 6 (focused on Continetal football competitions) beIN Sports 7 (focused on Tennis competitions) beIN Sports 8 (focused on Different sport) beIN Sports 9 (the Olympic channel) BeIN Sports Xtra 1 BeIN Sports Xtra 2 BeIN Sports Xtra 3 English and French Language channels beIN Sports English 1 beIN Sports English 2 beIN Sports French 1 beIN Sports French 2 BeIN Sports events channels. beIN Sports Max 1 beIN Sports Max 2 beIN Sports Max 3 beIN Sports Max 4 beIN Sports Max 5 beIN Sports Max 6 AFC Channels BeIN Sports AFC BeIN Sports AFC 1 BeIN Sports AFC 2 BeIN Sports AFC 3 BeIN Sports AFC 4 BeIN Sports AFC 5 Other sports: BeIN Sports NBA
Controversy
Piracy in Saudi Arabia
In the wake of the ongoing diplomatic crisis between Qatar and other Arab nations, the beIN Sports channels were briefly banned in the United Arab Emirates in June 2017, and Saudi Arabia banned beIN from selling its subscriptions in the country. The channels have since become available in Saudi Arabia via an unofficial satellite service known as beoutQ, which repackages beIN Sports channels as their own by overlaying its own digital on-screen graphics on the feed. beIN has published evidence linking the service Arabsat, but its operators have consistently denied any involvement. The beoutQ service has been criticised by a number of sports sanctioning bodies and event organisers due to its commercial-scale copyright infringement.
On 2 October 2018, Qatar filed a case against Saudi Arabia with the World Trade Organization, citing violations of the TRIPS Agreement. The same day, beIN Media Group also initiated an investment arbitration lawsuit against Saudi Arabia seeking US$1 billion in damages, citing beoutQ and other measures decided to hinder its business in Saudi Arabia.
In February 2019, beIN's managing director stated that rightsholder stances on beoutQ's "industrial-scale theft" would be a consideration in future rights deals, and that it would also pay less because it can no longer guarantee that its rights would be protected. He went on to explain that "we have been warning of the very real commercial consequences of beoutQ's theft of world sport and entertainment for almost two years now – yet the piracy continues with impunity every day and represents an existential threat to the economic model of the sports and entertainment industry." In June 2019, beIN laid off 300 employees, citing the piracy issues as a factor. It also declined to renew its rights to Formula One, which were instead acquired by free-to-air satellite channel MBC Action.
Monopoly accusations
Free-to-air broadcasters in Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia decided against sub-licensing domestic rights to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations from beIN, considering the fees they were charging to be too exorbitant.