(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula
Doha: beIN SPORTS, the leading sports broadcaster in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), has earned YouTube's prestigiDiamond Creator Award after reaching 10 million subscribers on its official YouTube channel.
The recognition demonstrates beIN's successful long-term evolution, confirming it as now both a linear leader and home to the most-popular digital content of any sports broadcaster in the region.
The achievement recognises the broadcaster's dual mission of bringing sports fans from across the region closer to the action while making sports content easily accessible on all platforms, particularly during major tournaments.
Since establishing its YouTube channel in 2014, beIN SPORTS has remained steadfast in its dedication towards using digital tools and ensuring global sports fans can immerse themselves in the excitement of major international sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Arab Cup.
Faisal Al-Raisi, beIN's Director of Digital for the MENA region said:“Reaching 10 million subscribers is an incredible milestone that reflects our unwavering dedication to ensure sports fans' viewing experience on our digital channels is exceptional. By increasing the accessibility of our content, we are expanding reach while considering the diverse viewing preferences of our customers. We believe in the power of digital to connect fans with the games they love in the way they want, and the Diamond Creator Award is testament to that commitment.”
Having streamed select matches from the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021TM on its official YouTube channel, beIN SPORTS further demonstrated its commitment to accessibility by similarly streaming 22 select matches from the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM, including the opening and closing ceremonies, semi-finals, and finals.
beIN SPORTS' live stream of the global tournament pulled in cumulative viewership of 25 million and set a MENA record as 4.4 million viewers simultaneously logged on to watch Argentina's famtriumph in Doha. The final alone saw a 1.9 million surge in new YouTube subscribers.
The partnership between beIN SPORTS and YouTube was evidently already strong in the region having attracted 79 million cumulative views for live streams during the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021TM and 2.3 million simultaneviewers for the final between Algeria and Tunisia. Yet the Diamon Creator Award further solidifies the channel's position as a trusted source for sports enthusiasts worldwide, as well as a creator of unique and engaging content.
Beyond its live streaming prowess, beIN SPORTS continuously offers an array of unique content on its YouTube channel, including podcasts and exclusive interviews.
These offerings are drawn from the platform's extensive range of sporting rights, which comprise – among other events – the UEFA Champions League and English Premier League football, the FIBA World Cup in basketball, La Vuelta cycling, the quadrennial Asian Games, and varitennis, cricket, rugby, and motorsports events.