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It has been suggested that portions of this article be split out and merged as needed into articles titled BeIN Sports (Australian TV network), BeIN Sports (Middle East TV network), BeIN Sports (Canadian TV channel), BeIN Sports (French TV network), BeIn Sports (Indonesian TV network), BeIN Sports (Spanish TV network), BeIn Sports (Turkish TV network) and BeIN Sports (U.S. TV network), one or more of which already exist. (Discuss) (September 2018)

beIN SPORTS
Launched	1 June 2012
Owned by	beIN Media Group
Country	Middle East & North Africa France United States Canada Turkey Australia New Zealand Spain Andorra Hong Kong Brunei Malaysia Singapore Indonesia Philippines Cambodia Laos Thailand
Language	Arabic English French Spanish Indonesian Malay Thai Cantonese/Mandarin Tagalog Turkish
Headquarters	Doha (Arabia channels) Miami (North America channels) Paris (French channels) Barcelona (Spanish channels) Jakarta (Indonesian channels) Istanbul (Turkish channels) Bangkok (Thai channels) Manila (Philippine channels) Kuala Lumpur (Malay channels) Hong Kong (Mandarin channels) Sydney (Australian channels)
Formerly called	beIN Sport (2012–2013) Al Jazeera Sport (in MENA) (2003–2013) Lig TV (in Turkey) (2001–2017)
Sister channel(s)	beIN Sports MENA beIN Sports France beIN Sports USA beIN Sports Canada beIN Sports Australia beIN Sports Spain
Website	www.beinsports.com

beIN Sports (/ˈbiːɪn/ BEE-in) is a global network of sports channels owned and operated by beIN Media Group. Its Chairman is Nasser Al-Khelaifi, and its CEO is Yousef Al-Obaidly. ^[1]

beIN currently operates channels in the Middle East & North Africa, France, Spain, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, and Thailand.

In France, where beIN Sports was launched for the first time, holds the rights to broadcast major football tournaments, including Ligue 1, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and the European Football Championship. In Spain operated by Mediapro, holds the rights to La Liga, Ligue 1 and Serie A, from July 2015.

In the United States and Canada, beIN Sports holds the rights to broadcast La Liga, Ligue 1, Copa del Rey (excluding the final), CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifiers, Copa Libertadores and Football League Championship matches and Real Madrid TV, in addition to the major motorcycle road racing championships (MotoGP, World Superbike, MotoAmerica).^[2] It launched two channels in the United States (English and Spanish), in August 2012, followed by a full channel in Canada, on 31 January 2014.

In Indonesia, beIN Sports holds the rights to broadcast La Liga (until 2019), Ligue 1, Serie A (2013-2016, return in 2018), Football League Championship (2013-2016), Football League Cup (2013-2016), Süper Lig (starts 2017-18 season), A-League (starts 2017-18 season), FFA Cup (starts 2017 season), Superliga Argentina (from 2016-17 season), Copa Argentina (from 2016-17 season), KNVB Cup (from 2017-18 season), CAF World Cup Qualifiers, UEFA Champions League (2015-2018), UEFA Europa League (2015-2018), Bundesliga (2013-2015), Major League Soccer (MLS), and with MP & Silva partnership broadcasting Premier League until 2019, in addition to the major racing championships (DTM (2013, return in 2016) and World Rally Championship (starts 2017 season) and more. In Malaysia, beIN Sports offers comprehensive coverage of European Football Leagues including La Liga, Ligue 1 and more.

In Hong Kong, beIN Sports holds the rights to broadcast Serie A, Ligue 1, Major League Soccer (MLS), Football League Championship (2013-2016), Football League Cup (2013-2016), A-League (starts 2017-18 season), FFA Cup (starts 2017 season), Superliga Argentina (from 2016-17 season), Copa Argentina (from 2016-17 season), KNVB Cup (starts 2017-18 season), UEFA Champions League,UEFA Europa League and more. In Thailand, beIN Sports holds the rights to broadcast Premier League (until 2019), La Liga (until 2019), Serie A, Ligue 1, MLS, UEFA Champions League (2015-2018), UEFA Europa League (2015-2018), Süper Lig (starts 2017-18 season), A-League (starts 2017-18 season), FFA Cup (starts 2017 season), Superliga Argentina (from 2016-17 season), Copa Argentina (from 2016-17 season), KNVB Cup (starts 2017-18 season) and more.

In Australia, the channel was launched in late November 2014, following the acquisition of Setanta Sports Australia which was rebranded as beIN Sports.^[3] beIN Sports Australia holds the rights to broadcast UEFA Champions League (2015-2018),^[4]UEFA Europa League (2015-2018), EFL Cup, La Liga, Serie A,^[5]Ligue 1, Bundesliga, MLS, Copa Libertadores and RBS Six Nations. On 14 March 2016, beIN Sports Australia expanded from one to three channels, all in HD, and as of 15 May 2016 has been made available to all Foxtel sport pack subscribers, rather than the original add-on cost for a single SD channel. Fetch subscribers still only have access to beIN Sports 1, which is an add-on cost each month.

beIN Connect, also known as beIN Sports Connect, is a subsidiary over-the-top content (OTT) service started in 2014. It allows users to watch live and on-demand video content from a Mac, Windows PC, mobile phone, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3 or PlayStation 4 via a broadband or Wi-Fi internet connection. On-demand content comprises sports highlights, movies, and TV shows. beIN CONNECT is available as a paid service in France, Spain, United States, Canada, Turkey (in 2017), Asia-Pacific (in 2017) and the MENA region.^[6]

History[edit]

Al Jazeera Media Network entered the European television rights market in June 2011 when it purchased a package of live French football Ligue 1 matches from 2012 to 2016 for €90 million a year. The deal makes them joint broadcasters of domestic top-flight football in France alongside long-term rights holders Canal+.^[7] The broadcaster also acquired the pay-TV rights to the UEFA Champions League, Europa League from 2012 to 2015, Euro 2012 and Euro 2016 in France.^[8][9][10] France was targeted as Al Jazeera's first entry into Europe due to the fact that there were no dedicated sports channels, unlike in the United Kingdom.^[11]

The name "beIN Sports" was first revealed in early 2012. According to Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the director of Al Jazeera Sports, the name "symbolises the mind of two channels aiming at bringing live and exclusive broadcasting of the biggest events."^[12] Former Canal+ executive Charles Bietry was hired by Al Jazeera to launch the channels.^[13] The channels will be available on all cable and IPTV providers and select satellite providers.^[14]CanalSat – owned by Canal+ Group – has declined to carry the channels as of March 2012.^[15]

beIN Sports 1 was launched on June 1, 2012 in time to broadcast Euro 2012.^[16] beIN Sports 2 commenced on July 27, 2012 in time to broadcast the French Ligue 2 season, and before the start of the 2012–13 Ligue 1 season.^[16]

In June 2015, it was announced that Nasser Al-Khelaifi had plans to create the beIN Sports channel on TV operators to cable in Brazil^[17]

beIN Sports Spain officially began broadcasting on 1 July 2015, the date on which Gol Televisión ceased broadcasting all football games, which during the summer were in place under the slogan "Change the game", "Cambia el juego" in Spanish. Thanks to an alliance between Al Jazeera and Mediapro, beIN Sports Spain offers UEFA Champions League (2015-2018), UEFA Europe League (2015-2018), UEFA Super Cup (2015-2017), Premier League (2015-16 season only), Serie A, Primeira Liga, Jupiler Pro League, Ligue 1, DFB Pokal, Coupe de la Ligue, KNVB Beker, Johan Cruijff Shield, Copa de Brasil, CONCACAF Gold Cup, Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana. beIN Sports Spain can be viewed over the Internet, smart TV (LG and Samsung), PC, laptops, tablets, Smartphones (iOS/Android), PS3/PS4, Chromecast, TV Operators (Orange, Vodafone and Telecable) and online platforms (beIN Sports Connect, Total Channel and YouTube). On Wednesday August 19, due to the start of the playoffs of the UEFA Champions League, beIN Sports (Spain) begins to emit beIN Sports MAX (up to 8 simultaneous channels) to broadcast all matches of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europe League.

beIN Sports (Spain) offers customers Gol Televisión lost up to 30 June 2015 an exclusive promotion to watch beIN Sports through beIN Sports CONNECT, and through the app "TotalChannel". It also offers channels like FOX, AXN, TNT, and the best entertainment channels in HD for €5/month for two months, then from the third month onwards €9.99/month. beIN Sports (Spain) developed a channel licensed for bars in Spain called "beIN Sports BAR". The channel stopped transmission on 9 August 2018.

For the 2016–2017 season and onwards, beIN Sports Spain has the television rights to La Liga (eight games a day, always one of Real Madrid or FC Barcelona) and Copa del Rey.

beIN Media Group acquired Digiturk in July 2015.

On November 1, 2017, beIN Sports created an Olympic Channel in the Middle East and North Africa region.^[18]

Programming[edit]

English-language service[edit]

A list of the English-language service personalities, which broadcasts to the Middle East, North Africa, Australia and New Zealand

Football[edit]

In France, beIN Sports holds one of five rights packages for Ligue 1 from 2012 to 2016 – the package consisting of Friday night and Sunday evening matches. The other four packages are held by Canal+.^[7] It also shows Ligue 2 matches. For the UEFA Champions League, it has the rights to broadcast all matches except the 13 weekly first-choice picks (yet to be awarded to any broadcaster as of April 2012) from 2012 to 2015.^[8] It also owns the rights to all UEFA Europa League matches including the final from 2012 to 2015.^[9]

Also in France, beIN Sports and Canal+ also share the rights to Serie A and Bundesliga matches.^[19] It also airs FA Cup, Football League Championship, La Liga, Argentine Primera División^[20] and Brasileirao.

Former Brazilian striker Ronaldo being interviewed by the network in December 2014

The network holds the rights to broadcast all UEFA Euro 2012 and Euro 2016 matches on the French pay-TV platform while TF1 and M6 have the free-to-air rights to select matches.^[10] The channel also holds rights for the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cup, and 2015 Copa América.

In the United States, the network holds the rights package for Ligue 1, La Liga, Serie A, Russian Football Premier League,^[21]Football League Championship, EFL Cup, Coppa Italia, Ecuadorian Serie A, Copa del Rey (except the final), K-League Classic, Copa América, and FIFA World Cup qualification rounds in the Americas (CONMEBOL and CONCACAF), except for home matches by Mexico and the United States (which are both held by Univision and ESPN).^[22]

In 2017, beIN Sports bought the broadcasting rights of the Turkish Süper Lig.^[23]

The channel's football coverage is notably fronted by Richard Keys and Andy Gray, who moved to Doha after they were sacked from Sky Sports.

Their appointment saw the Monday Night Football brand, regarded as revolutionary infront and Perform Group management when it was devised by the presenters in the 1990s, take a place in the channel's schedule.

Keys and Gray also present an eponymous magazine-style show on Friday evenings and have attracted praise for the variety and quality of proper football men featured on the show.

Rugby union[edit]

In France, beIN Sports broadcasts November test matches, European Rugby Champions Cup, European Rugby Challenge Cup, English Premiership and Pro14.

Rugby league[edit]

beIN Sports will broadcast the Super League including all home matches of French side Catalans Dragons.^[24] Other competitions include the Australian National Rugby League and State of Origin series.^[24]

beIN Sports was awarded the rights to the 2013 Rugby League World Cup and broadcast all matches live.^[25]

Motorsports[edit]

On 23 February 2013, as part of Al-Jazeera's increasing footprint in the Superbike World Championship, which they hold rights in the Middle East, and the transitional shutdown of Fox Sports motorsport operations in Charlotte, North Carolina, beIN Sports acquired the rights to the Superbike World Championship in the United States, which also includes live coverage of the races and also the support classes, which had never been televised in the United States in the past.^[26]

beIN Sports also airs the FIA World Rallycross Championship in the United States, the Middle East, and North Africa.

In 2016, beIN Sports began to broadcast two more Dorna-controlled motorcycle road racing series in the United States and Canada -- MotoGP, the Superbike World Championship and MotoAmerica, giving them control of FIM road racing on North American television.

Team handball[edit]

beIN Sports has acquired exclusive broadcast rights to the EHF Champions League (Team Handball). The EHF Champions League is the most important club competition for men's and women's teams in Europe and involves the leading teams from the top European nations.

In January 2013, beIN Sports also acquired the broadcast rights to the 2013 World Men's Handball Championship. beIN Sports USA aired live, delayed and pre-recorded HD games in the US, between January 11–27, 2013.

Tennis[edit]

In France, beIN Sports airs the Wimbledon Championships, Davis Cup, Fed Cup, ATP World Tour Masters 1000, ATP World Tour 500, ATP World Tour Finals, and some ATP World Tour 250 and WTA Tour tournaments.

beIN Sports will be the exclusive broadcaster of WTA Tour in the United States, Spain, Australia, the Middle East, and North Africa from 2017 to 2021.

Other sports[edit]

In France, beIN Sports aired the 2012 Summer Olympics tennis, handball and basketball tournaments. In athletics, beIN Sports airs the IAAF Diamond League and several international marathons and World Indoor Meetings meetings. In cycling, it broadcasts some UCI World Tour road races, including the Giro d'Italia, as well as the UCI Road, Track, Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships. The channel also airs the French Handball Championship, FIVB World League, Euroleague, NBA, National Football League, and Major League Baseball.

On 25 May 2016, the U.S. beIN Sports announced that it had acquired partial rights to Conference USA college sports, including a package of selected college football, basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer matches. The deal marks the first American football-related contract the U.S. network has acquired.^[27]

In 2017, cricket debuted on the channel. BeIN Sports has acquired the Cricket Australiaand England and Wales Cricket Board rights for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and broadcast the 2017–18 Ashes series and 2017–18 Big Bash League season. BeIN Sports also acquired the Indian Premier League (IPL) rights in April 2018 for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in a five-year deal with Star India up to 2022.

On 20 April 2018, professional wrestling debuted on the channel. Major League Wrestling: FUSION airs on Fridays at 8 pm EST on beIN Sports USA.^[28]

Football coverage[edit]

A list of on-air football personalities on beIN Sports France, beIN Sports MENA, beIN Sports USA, and beIN Sports Spain:

Basketball coverage[edit]

Tennis coverage[edit]

Handball coverage[edit]

Rugby coverage[edit]

Distribution[edit]

Indonesia & Philippines[edit]

Current channels[edit]

beIN Sports 1 HD will focus on year-round live football with the Premier League being prominent as well as content from Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs club channels in streaming media. Other live coverage will come from the Serie A, Ligue 1, Major League Soccer (MLS), the Brazilian national leagues (Paulistao & Brasileirão) (2013-2015), as well as major cup tournaments such as the FA Cup (2013-2016), Coppa Italia (2013-2015), and the Coupe de la Ligue.

From 2016, this channel also broadcast not only football but other sporting events, such as: Tennis, Motor-racing, Handball, and many more.

beIN Sports 2 HD will also feature live football but will have another sports remit.

beIN Sports 3 HD same as the beIN Sports 2 HD. This channel has been launched since August 2016, replacing the Premier League channel.

Former channel[edit]

Premier League HD will be a 24-hour Premier League-dedicated channel in Indonesia broadcasting nearly 1,600 hours of live programming from 2013-14 to 2015-16 season. This includes all 380 Premier League matches per season, weekly magazine show Premier League World, as well as pre-match coverage and post-game analysis in addition to weekly preview and review shows and highlights in interviews.^[29]

Canada[edit]

Despite most of its North American broadcast rights contracts covering both the United States and Canada, beIN Sports initially was not authorized to broadcast in the country nor had it sub-licensed any of its programmings to local broadcasters. The channel had a difficult time finding a broadcaster willing to partner up with it to launch its services. In October 2013, beIN Sports launched an online streaming service in Canada through their website www.beINsportsplay.ca. The live service was available at no charge for registered users until 1 February 2014; since then, users can access the streams for CAD$19.99 per month. On-demand coverage is not available through beIN Sports Play Canada.^[30]

On 18 December 2013, beIN Sports announced they had reached a deal with Ethnic Channels Group, a local ethnic broadcaster, to launch their services in Canada.^[31] The channel was officially launched on 31 January 2014 via MTS and NEXTV.

beIN Sports HD is available on Shaw Cable on channel 234,^[32] Rogers Cable on channel 391,^[33] on Bell Satellite & Fibe on channel 1412,^[34] on Videotron on channel 797 and through OTT broadcaster DAZN.

Controversies[edit]

beIN Sports' market positions in some regions have led to concerns over the network's dominance. In 2016, French authorities blocked a deal by beIN Sports France to sub-license its sports properties to Canal+ Sport, as it would have given the partnership control of 80% of French sports media rights.^[35][36] At the 2017 World Men's Handball Championship, whose international media rights were owned by beIN Sports, French radio stations declined to air the tournament as beIN Sports wanted them to pay administrative fees about five times higher than technical cost, in violation of French law.^[37] The 2017 Africa Cup of Nations were also left without domestic television coverage in four MENA region countries participating in the tournament — Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia — due to exorbitant sublicensing fees being demanded from free-to-air broadcasters by beIN as the region's rightsholder.^[38]

In 2014, the Premier League restricted beIN Sports in the MENA region to airing one match per-week with a 3:00 p.m. UK time kickoff on television only. As these matches may not be broadcast within the United Kingdom due to domestic rights restrictions,^[39][40] the Premier League showed concerns that beIN was not taking adequate steps to prevent its streaming broadcasts from being used for unauthorized retransmissions, especially into the United Kingdom. In November 2014, the Premier League reinstated beIN's full access to 3 p.m. fixtures.^[41][42]

Anti-piracy Campaign[edit]

In August 2017, beoutQ was launched from Saudi Arabia - illegally broadcasting via satellite and streaming over the internet premium sports and entertainment content worth billions of dollars^[43]. beIN Media Group has campaigned with leading sporting organizations and broadcasters from around the world to universally condemn piracy operations in Saudi Arabia and call for decisive action to be taken to stamp out beoutQ and stop Arabsat from distributing the illegal broadcast channel.

In October 2018, beIN MEDIA GROUP launched a $1 billion international arbitration case against Saudi Arabia on the basis of beoutQ^[44]. In July 2018, FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and other sports rights holders disclosed that they will be launching legal action in Saudi Arabia.^[45]

In December 2018, The World Trade Organization agreed to launch a dispute inquiry to determine whether Saudi Arabia has failed to protect Intellectual Property rights because of beoutQ^[46].

See also[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• 
  Official MENA website (in English)
  


• 
  Official Spain website (in Spanish)
  


• 
  Official France website (in French)
  


• 
  Official USA website (in English)
  


• 
  Official Hong Kong website (in English)
  


• 
  Official Indonesia website (in English) (in Indonesian)
  


• 
  Official Philippines website (in English)
  


• 
  BeIN Sports Connect Official Thailand website (in English) (in Thai)
  


• 
  Official Thailand website (in English) (in Thai)
  


• 
  Official Australia website (in English)
  


• 
  Official New Zealand website (in English)
  


• 
  Official website