Etisalat , Starzplay to air ICC T20 World Cup in MENA
ODMedia expands into MENA
Multiplay telco Etisalat has won the rights from Star TV Network to broadcast the ICC Men ’ s T20 World Cup across the MENA region , in partnership MENA with region SVoD service Starzplay .
The broadcast rights for the MENA belong exclusively to Etisalat and the partnership with Starzplay will give cricket fans access to all 45 matches taking place in the UAE and Oman .
Regional cricket fans can enjoy all the action on CricLife Max channel via Etisalat ’ s eLife TV , Switch TV and the Starzplay app in UAE , while subscribers in the rest of the MENA region can watch exclusively via Starzplay . CricLife Max is broadcasting all the matches live alongwith highlights , pre-shows and post-match analysis , with full match replays on the other CricLife channels .
“ There is no other provider better placed in the UAE to bring sports fans the complete depth and breadth of sports action . eLife customers have access to an unprecedented line-up to watch live sport from the best providers across
“ There is no other provider better placed in the UAE to bring sports fans the complete depth and breadth of sports action .” the region ,” declared Khaled Elkhouly , chief consumer officer at Etisalat . “ Our investment in bringing the very best of cricket action to the UAE and beyond will further solidify our drive . Partnering with Starzplay not only for the ICC Men ’ s T20 World Cup but for our CricLife channels will mean more fans can watch their teams play in more places than ever before across the GCC .”
“ We have been steadily building on our focus to deliver live sporting events to our subscribers , and nothing beats the joy of bringing the action of the ICC Men ’ s T20 World Cup to the region ,” added Danny Bates , chief commercial officer at Starzplay . “ This is a prestigious win for us , and we thank our long-standing associates , Etisalat as well as Star TV Network , for their support . With cricket widely followed in the region , we are bridging a gap for our subscribers , who can now effortlessly watch all the live cricket action from this exciting T20 championship . Our aim is to become the ultimate TV entertainment destination and we will continue to explore new and innovative ways to offer the best sporting experience for our subscribers .”
“ This is a ground-breaking collaboration which will provide the largest ever reach for an ICC event in the region ,” commented Harry Griffith , head of syndication at Star TV Network . “ We are delighted to associate with Etisalat and Starzplay to enhance the coverage of the ICC Men ’ s T20 World Cup across the Middle East . With the event being staged in the UAE and Oman it is crucial the tournament is more accessible than ever before . This is a truly exciting juncture for all cricket fans in the Middle East .”
Further expanding its global footprint , ODMedia has announced the opening of a new office to serve the Middle East and North Africa ( MENA ) region . Based in Dubaï , the new office is headed up by Fatme Kayed .
The MENA branch joins a growing roster of international offices for the Dutch content services and processing company , including in the UK , France , Germany , Spain , Poland , Benelux , South Africa and Scandinavia .
We are proud to be further expanding into all aspects of entertainment in all corners of the world ,” said Sjef Pijnenburg , CEO of ODMedia . “ We are seeing tremendous growth in terms of creativity and content coming from this flourishing region . Fatme ’ s presence on the ground will help us serve this great market .”
Kayed brings 15 years of experience in various roles in the media industry to her position as MENA ’ s region manager . She has worked with major companies , including Fanar Production , My-HD Media FZ , and Qtelmedia FZ , developing their businesses in the region .
“ ODMedia stands for high-quality technical services , global aggregation opportunities combined with savvy distribution experience . I ’ m excited to bring ODMedia ’ s expertise to the region ,” said Kayed .
Yahsat mulling 2 new satellites
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The UAE government has instructed Abu Dhabi-based Yahsat to study market demand and to assess the need for two new satellites which could launch in 2026 .
Yahsat already operates Al Yah 1 and Al Yah 2 and has the potential of two new craft Al Yah 4 and Al Yah 5 . The concept is to guarantee the capacity already provided to the government but also to handle expansion from market demand .
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“ Yahsat has long been recognised as a strong national champion , a global ICT leader , and an enabler of critical communications infrastructure ,” stated Ali Al Hashemi , Group CEO / Yahsat . “ This potential expansion of our fleet for the UAE Government would further underpin our longterm contracted backlog and reinforces our position as the UAE ’ s primary supplier and |
preferred partner to the UAE Government for advanced |
satellite communications and critical satellite connectivity needs . We continuously strive to provide our customers and partners with best-in-class solutions and equipment . Today ’ s announcement to assess the expansion of the existing fleet presents a significant opportunity to enhance Yahsat ’ s business value for all stakeholders , allowing us to capitalise on our future growth strategy .”
Al Yah 1 was launched in 2011 , while Al Yah 2 was launched in 2012 .
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