Saudi Pro League embarrassed once more as dismal 305 followers come to look at ex-Prem ace
The Saudi Pro League has suffered its latest embarrassing attendance as just 305 fans saw Al Hazem and Al Riyadh play out a 1-1 draw.
Ex-Premier League star Andre Gray was the pick of the foreign stars on display. The ex-Watford man moved to the Middle East over the summer after a spell with Greek side Aris.
Gray was one of the footballers who flocked to the Middle Eastern riches over the summer as they followed in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo – who made the switch after the World Cup.
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However, the influx of talent – which wasn’t quite on display this week – hasn’t produced the ticket sales many expected it would. Despite the small attendance, it’s not the smallest turn out to a Saudi Pro League game this season.
Al Feiha hold the record of the smallest attendance in the league: back in September, just 281 fans watched Al Feiha’s 3-1 win on the road against Al Riyadh.
What do you think of the Saudi Pro League’s latest attendance embarrassment? Let us know in the comments section
(Image: Getty Images)
Saudi has invested billions into boxing, football, tennis, F1 and golf to raise their status in the sporting world. In a previous interview with the BBC, Saudi Arabian sports minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal brushed off the low attendances by saying they are still early in the process.
“It’s building blocks… I’m sure that next year we’ll have more attendance,” he said. “Like anywhere in the world there’s some matches that attract much more audience than others, but all of our big matches have attracted record numbers so far… we’re broadcasting to 147 countries around the world.
“When we planned to develop the league we never thought that we would do it with such pace, but to see that is actually refreshing and it actually showcases the importance of this. Our focus is to develop our league to attract the best in the world.”
