PIF and RB Sports & Media

[Stifler]

30 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

The DTC model in France didn’t reap the promised rewards - and I doubt the PL would offer the service at that sort of pricing.  The likelihood is that the rights are worth more than what the PL is paid, though they take on none of the overheads (and risk).  Additionally, there is every chance the usual suspects would use DTC to either sell their own individual rights or take an even greater chunk of the income, crystallising the current structure further.  

There is no competition in France though, so there isn’t much demand for Ligue 1. They were propped up by BeIN for ages who bought the rights to help facilitate the PSG takeover. Once Qatar no longer needed them, they dropped them, which is what put them in the position to start with.

[RUHRLYASLEEVESUP]

 

Newcastle chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan has confirmed that PIF are preparing to sell their majority stake in one of the Saudi Pro League clubs they bought as part of their multi-club model (widely expected to be Al-Hilal).

PIF’s stake in that club will drop from 75% to 30% initially (with Saudi billionaire Prince Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud taking 70%), before a full sale is completed. The announcement is expected within the next couple of days.

Important bit for every Toon fan: This has ZERO impact on Newcastle United. PIF remain fully committed to the club they bought from Mike Ashley in 2021 – they’ve already pumped over £500m into us, including £45m as recently as December. The sale is simply part of their wider strategy to grow their portfolio and create commercial opportunities across Saudi football.

Al-Rumayyan made sure the message to fans was loud and clear: PIF are in it for the long term with Newcastle.

 

[Hovagod]

2 minutes ago, RUHRLYASLEEVESUP said:

 

Newcastle chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan has confirmed that PIF are preparing to sell their majority stake in one of the Saudi Pro League clubs they bought as part of their multi-club model (widely expected to be Al-Hilal).

PIF’s stake in that club will drop from 75% to 30% initially (with Saudi billionaire Prince Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud taking 70%), before a full sale is completed. The announcement is expected within the next couple of days.

Important bit for every Toon fan: This has ZERO impact on Newcastle United. PIF remain fully committed to the club they bought from Mike Ashley in 2021 – they’ve already pumped over £500m into us, including £45m as recently as December. The sale is simply part of their wider strategy to grow their portfolio and create commercial opportunities across Saudi football.

Al-Rumayyan made sure the message to fans was loud and clear: PIF are in it for the long term with Newcastle.

 

Who’s that?

[Fak]

1 minute ago, Hovagod said:

Who’s that?

 

Al-Rumayyan is our chairman.

[Abacus]

Yes, according to the golf folks they said they were into LIV golf for multiple years as well. Actions not words. 

[TRon]

3 minutes ago, Abacus said:

Yes, according to the golf folks they said they were into LIV golf for multiple years as well. Actions not words. 

 

 

According to that piece they just pumped in another £45m in December. Does that not count as actions?

 

 

[RUHRLYASLEEVESUP]

🇸🇦 Newcastle United’s majority owners, the Public Investment Fund, have reaffirmed their 'long haul' commitment to the club. 

In a strategic update, PIF Governor and Magpies Chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan outlined a vision that integrates the club into a broader 2026–2030 global investment strategy.

Since acquiring the club from Mike cA$hley in 2021, PIF has injected over £500m, including a recent £45m boost in December.

The club's leadership has set a high bar for the next four years, aiming to transform Newcastle United into a premier global force. 

Key objectives presented to the Fan Advisory Board include:

🏆 Championship Ambitions: Credibly challenging for both the Premier League and Women’s Super League titles by 2030.

🆙 Elite Competition: Moving into the same tier of consistent competitiveness as Manchester City and Arsenal.

🌍 Global Scaling: Aligning the club’s growth with 'Saudi Vision 2030,' which focuses on investing in 'national champions' capable of scaling globally.

📈 Strategic Growth and Culture
Yasir Al-Rumayyan emphasised that the next five years will build on the foundations laid since 2021:

"The 2026-2030 strategy is a natural next step in PIF’s growth journey... strengthen our global leadership to deliver success for PIF and Saudi Arabia."

To support this growth, the club has introduced "The Newcastle United Code," a cultural framework based on five core values:

1️⃣ One Club
👍 Excellence
🏃 Relentless
🧾 Accountable
😊 Integrity

Financial and Institutional Stability
Director of Communications Lee Marshall noted that the appointment of a new CEO and the completion of a "one-hundred-day review" have solidified the club's internal structure. Despite external speculation regarding PIF's focus, the message remains clear: the investment in Tyneside is a cornerstone of their international sports portfolio.

[Jackie Broon]

1 minute ago, TRon said:

 

 

According to that piece they just pumped in another £45m in December. Does that not count as actions?

 

 

 

Also £106.5m in September, and £172m in June.

[Stifler]

11 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Aye, I think there’s money left on the table - but I can’t see the prices changing for the better in the UK (why would they charge less than Sky?), and all the games are already available outside of the UK in any case - so I don’t see why the UK deal (which is where the money would be) would suddenly produce 5x as much money 

Yeah, they said an average. In the U.K. the monthly fee would be much higher, I can’t see it being below £40-£50.

Obviously on the other end of the scale, you have some countries where it currently costs £2 a month to watch the Premier League alongside other leagues, so you can’t charge £10 a month there. 

[Abacus]

Just now, TRon said:

 

 

According to that piece they just pumped in another £45m in December. Does that not count as actions?

 

 

All I'm saying is that imminent announcements on the training ground or stadium haven't gone anywhere. They have definitely pumped money in, and that does count as an action, you're correct.

 

You can look at it either way - they want to grow the club as an investment (all up for that), or at the same time the ambitions that have been presented are unrealistic. 

 

I don't see them giving up on football in general, and that possibly refocusing on a few more realistic projects is for the good. But what do I know. 

[TheBrownBottle]

17 minutes ago, RUHRLYASLEEVESUP said:

 

Newcastle chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan has confirmed that PIF are preparing to sell their majority stake in one of the Saudi Pro League clubs they bought as part of their multi-club model (widely expected to be Al-Hilal).

PIF’s stake in that club will drop from 75% to 30% initially (with Saudi billionaire Prince Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud taking 70%), before a full sale is completed. The announcement is expected within the next couple of days.

Important bit for every Toon fan: This has ZERO impact on Newcastle United. PIF remain fully committed to the club they bought from Mike Ashley in 2021 – they’ve already pumped over £500m into us, including £45m as recently as December. The sale is simply part of their wider strategy to grow their portfolio and create commercial opportunities across Saudi football.

Al-Rumayyan made sure the message to fans was loud and clear: PIF are in it for the long term with Newcastle.

 

 

8 minutes ago, RUHRLYASLEEVESUP said:

🇸🇦 Newcastle United’s majority owners, the Public Investment Fund, have reaffirmed their 'long haul' commitment to the club. 

In a strategic update, PIF Governor and Magpies Chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan outlined a vision that integrates the club into a broader 2026–2030 global investment strategy.

Since acquiring the club from Mike cA$hley in 2021, PIF has injected over £500m, including a recent £45m boost in December.

The club's leadership has set a high bar for the next four years, aiming to transform Newcastle United into a premier global force. 

Key objectives presented to the Fan Advisory Board include:

🏆 Championship Ambitions: Credibly challenging for both the Premier League and Women’s Super League titles by 2030.

🆙 Elite Competition: Moving into the same tier of consistent competitiveness as Manchester City and Arsenal.

🌍 Global Scaling: Aligning the club’s growth with 'Saudi Vision 2030,' which focuses on investing in 'national champions' capable of scaling globally.

📈 Strategic Growth and Culture
Yasir Al-Rumayyan emphasised that the next five years will build on the foundations laid since 2021:

"The 2026-2030 strategy is a natural next step in PIF’s growth journey... strengthen our global leadership to deliver success for PIF and Saudi Arabia."

To support this growth, the club has introduced "The Newcastle United Code," a cultural framework based on five core values:

1️⃣ One Club
👍 Excellence
🏃 Relentless
🧾 Accountable
😊 Integrity

Financial and Institutional Stability
Director of Communications Lee Marshall noted that the appointment of a new CEO and the completion of a "one-hundred-day review" have solidified the club's internal structure. Despite external speculation regarding PIF's focus, the message remains clear: the investment in Tyneside is a cornerstone of their international sports portfolio.

Great - but where are these quotes coming from?

[JT24]

1 minute ago, TheBrownBottle said:

 

Great - but where are these quotes coming from?

Copied and pasted from those various Magpie 24/7 shite pages on Facebook, probably. 

[TheBrownBottle]

1 minute ago, JT24 said:

Copied and pasted from those various Magpie 24/7 shite pages on Facebook, probably. 

My favourite is ‘challenging for the women’s PL by 2030’.  They’re not hampered by PSR in the women’s game - they could have done this already …

[JT24]

 just made up Chat GPT nonsense

[TheBrownBottle]

Just now, JT24 said:

 just made up Chat GPT nonsense

I’m glad ‘Paul’ from Magpie 24/7 has the inside scoop on the thoughts of YAR.  Some would think this unlikely, typing this up as he does in his mam’s spare bedroom in Bensham - but those naysayers don’t know how connected ‘Paul’ is 

[TBG]

We are so back

[TRon]

16 minutes ago, Abacus said:

All I'm saying is that imminent announcements on the training ground or stadium haven't gone anywhere. They have definitely pumped money in, and that does count as an action, you're correct.

 

You can look at it either way - they want to grow the club as an investment (all up for that), or at the same time the ambitions that have been presented are unrealistic. 

 

I don't see them giving up on football in general, and that possibly refocusing on a few more realistic projects is for the good. But what do I know. 

 

 

It's not ideal I agree. I just don't see any better options out there. 

[Kid Icarus]

Long haul is a funny choice of words like. It's one step away from a slog. 

[buzz]

16 minutes ago, JT24 said:

 just made up Chat GPT nonsense

 

The emojis  

[buzz]

Good thing he cut off the "If you like, I can imagine the exact scenario where Newcastle United win the Premier League in 2030. Would you like me to do that?"

[gbandit]

It’s absolutely fine having a “manifesto” for what you want to achieve but you actually have to put the structures in place in order to allow that to happen. We’re going over ground that has been covered endlessly but there is no way we can achieve any of our goals unless there is a much more streamlined, dynamic decision making process for all aspects of the club. There is no way to climb to the top in football unless you can make decisions quickly and follow through with actions quickly. We neither make decisions quickly nor act quickly 

[Keegans Export]

1 hour ago, Jackie Broon said:

 

Their investment, with RB, currently stands at just over £1bn, not £800m.

 

The club hasn't be valued at over £1bn, that report was based on a probably inflated price that PIF paid Staveley for her shares. It has been valued by Forbes in their most recent publication last year at $1.1bn (£0.8bn).

Well either way we're +/-£200m give or take. Hardly the billions they've plunged into LV with barely anything to show for it.

 

I don't for one second believe these 2030 targets are realistic, I'm not convinced that they even believe it themselves, but I do see the potential benefits in holding onto the club at least in the medium term. I don't think its a coincidence that they're looking for external funding for the stadium and more non-PIF sponsors. 

[PauloGeordio]

2 hours ago, Guillaume said:

3 weeks, hero 

💪 😂

[JT24]

Snippets from new Chris Waugh piece:

 

Quote

How heavily has PIF invested? Has it improved Newcastle’s infrastructure?

 

As outlined above, the best part of half a billion pounds has been invested into the club by the owners, with more than 80 per cent of that coming directly from PIF, the majority stakeholders.

 

For the most part, that money has been used to facilitate a gross transfer outlay of around £785m — and, on a net basis, £534m has been spent on improving the squad since October 2021. Without the persistent injections of capital from their owners, expenditure at such levels would not have been possible (and it would likely have been significantly higher, too, but for the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules).

 

There has also been more than £30m spent on improving the current Benton training centre, which has already been significantly upgraded, but the footprint of which will expand by around 50 per cent once the present renovation is completed. The STACK shipping-container fan zone on Strawberry Place next to St James’ Park opened in August 2024, too, after the club bought back the lease on the land, which Mike Ashley, the previous owner, had sold in 2019.

 

As well as investing in the academy, departments have also swollen in size across the club, with staff numbers significantly up and an executive-level structure put in place, which previously did not exist (with further hires to follow under Hopkinson’s management).

 

But, despite the sizeable investment, the level of expenditure has not quite matched the expectations brought about by the takeover. Beyond PSR constraints, neither of the big-ticket infrastructure projects — the stadium or training ground — has been announced yet.

 

Internal debates over whether to expand St James’ Park or construct a new stadium on Leazes Park next door — as well as how to finance either of those options — remain ongoing, even if the latter has been the clear preference of some senior figures for an extended period. A new state-of-the-art training ground is closer to being confirmed, with a site in Woolsington, near Newcastle Airport, identified, though that is still not finalised and is unlikely to be completed until the end of the decade.

 

A multi-club ownership (MCO) model remains theoretical, with plenty of research carried out behind the scenes but no additional outfit yet acquired (and uncertainty over whether there ever will be).

 

The failure to announce any of those has led to some insiders, as well as players and a significant portion of the fanbase, to regularly query PIF’s commitment to and interest in Newcastle. 
 

The official line has always been that such big decisions cannot be rushed, and while there is some validity to that stance, some senior figures at the club have expressed frustration at actual delays, a lack of investment, and apparent limbo.

 

What’s more, Newcastle have never attempted to challenge the Premier League or UEFA’s financial rules, or really looked to exploit potential relationships with PIF-owned clubs in the Saudi Pro League. While in LIV Golf they have acted like a market disruptor, in the Premier League, they have almost gone out of their way to try to present themselves as good citizens, willing to play by the rules.

 

In reality, there has been a misrepresentation of what this ‘project’ has meant to PIF from the start. PIF always viewed Newcastle as a long-term investment, one they could make a significant return on, rather than solely as a vanity project on which they would lavish untold funds. Or at least that is what people at the ownership level have preached from the beginning (and continue to do so).

 

[duo]

What PIF pulling funding for LIV Golf would mean for Newcastle United and its Saudi ownership

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7202329/2026/04/16/pif-newcastle-united-liv/