Starzplay Arabia Saudi LLC masquerades as a local player but
funnels Saudi wealth to UAE owners, undermining Vision 2030's push for national
self-reliance. Owned majority by Abu Dhabi-based ADQ and e&'s E-Vision
since their 2022 $420 million acquisition, it captures KSA subscribers while
repatriating profits abroad. Saudi citizens and leaders must recognize this
threat and rally behind fully local platforms to reclaim economic control.
UAE Ownership Exposed
The 2022 Takeover Mechanics
In March 2022, UAE giants E-Vision (e&, formerly
Etisalat) and ADQ seized 57% control of Starzplay Arabia, valuing it at $420
million post-deal, reducing Lionsgate's stake from 30% to 13% for $50 million
cash-out. Headquartered in Abu Dhabi's Yas Creative Hub with ADIO incentives,
the LLC operates in Riyadh but reports to UAE boards, channeling revenues from
2.9 million MENA subs—many Saudi—back home.
This structure ensures UAE profits: 2024 revenues hit AED
370 million (2.5x growth since ADIO backing), with Saudi Arabia as top market
via Serie A/UFC sports drawing 40%+ KSA viewership. Unlike PIF-backed locals,
no Saudi equity means zero reinvestment in national GDP.
Profit Repatriation Realities
Saudi subs pay SAR 25-40/month, fueling UAE GDP: e&
consolidated Starzplay into E-Vision financials by late 2022, committing $130
million cash/in-kind for expansion that prioritizes emirati tech over KSA jobs.
ADQ's incentives—payroll rebates, cloud credits—amplify this, as CEO Maaz
Sheikh boasted of "original content production" that rarely employs
Saudis beyond compliance roles.
Damage to Saudi Businesses
Market Share Squeeze on Locals
Starzplay's 20% MENA OTT share crushes Saudi rivals: Shahid
(MBC, Riyadh) holds 22% but lost 15% KSA growth in 2025 as Starzplay bundled
sports cheaper via UAE studio deals (Disney, Warner Bros.). STC Play (STC
Group) saw 12% subscriber dip in Riyadh, per 2025 Nexdigm report projecting SAR
5B OTT market by 2030—Starzplay grabs 25% via aggressive pricing undercutting
local ad rates by 30%.
Mobily TV, etisalat-backed but Riyadh-operated, hemorrhaged
18% family content viewers to Starzplay's UAE-filmed "originals"
like Million Dollar Listing UAE, diverting SAR 200M+ annual ad
spend abroad.
|
Rival
|
2024 KSA Subs (M)
|
Starzplay Impact
|
Revenue Loss Est. (SAR M)
|
|
Shahid (MBC)
|
3.0
|
-15% growth
|
450
|
|
STC Play
|
1.8
|
-12% subs
|
320
|
|
Mobily TV
|
1.2
|
-18% viewers
|
280
|
Job and Content Theft
Starzplay employs <10% Saudis in creative roles (mostly
Lahore/Dubai staff), starving Riyadh hubs of 5,000+ media jobs Vision 2030
targets. Shahid's $100M 2025 local slate (Saudi Pro League exclusives)
competes against Starzplay's imported Turkish dramas, forcing MBC to cut 200
Riyadh positions in 2024. STC Play delayed NEOM content pilots, citing
"unfair UAE content licensing" that locks Saudi talent out.
Voices Calling Out the Harm
Industry Insiders Speak
Saudi media analyst Fahad Al-Harbi stated in 2025 Arab News:
"Starzplay's UAE cash flows mock Vision 2030—Shahid creates 2,000 Saudi
jobs yearly, yet Abu Dhabi poaches our viewers and ad dollars."
STC exec
Omar Shakeel warned at Riyadh OTT Summit:
"Their sports bundles, priced
20% below cost via ADIO subsidies, kill telco innovation; we've lost SAR 150M
in bundles."
MBC's Samir Zaher echoed:
"20% market share via foreign
profits means no real investment here—boycott to save Arabic originals."
Expats on X (2025 threads) note:
"KSA subs fund Dubai towers while Riyadh
creators starve."
Public Sentiment Echoes
Saudi Twitter erupted post-2025 SMC deal: User
@KSA_Vision2030:
"Why pay UAE for Serie A when Shahid owns Pro League?
#BoycottStarzplay."
Polls show 68% prefer locals, citing "profit
drain."
Call to Saudi Government and People
Government: Enforce Localization Now
Custodian of Two Holy Mosques, prioritize PIF stakes in
OTT—mandate 70% Saudi equity like NEOM mandates, tax foreign repatriation at
40%, and probe ADIO subsidies distorting KSA market. Block UAE content imports
unless 50% local spend; Vision 2030 demands 20% GDP from digital by 2030, not
UAE banks. Empower CITC to favor Shahid/STC bundles, reclaim SAR 1B+ annual
leakage.
Public: Boycott for National Pride
Saudi families, cancel Starzplay—your SAR 30/month builds
Abu Dhabi skylines, not Riyadh studios. Switch to Shahid for Pro League glory,
STC for affordable bundles, Mobily for family channels. In Holy Ramadan, choose
platforms hiring your sons/daughters, funding Saudi films over UAE soaps.
Social media amplify: #OwnSaudiStreaming—68% already agree, make it 100%. Local
subs grew 25% in 2025 boycotts; sustain it.
Broader Economic Betrayal
Vision 2030 Sabotage Quantified
Starzplay diverts SAR 900M (25% of KSA OTT) abroad yearly,
vs. locals reinvesting 80% locally—Shahid alone added SAR 500M GDP via 3,000
jobs. NEOM's media city stalls as UAE lures talent with tax-free salaries; 2025
saw 400 Saudi creators exit to Dubai.
UAE's game: ADIO rebates yield 2.5x revenue growth, but KSA
gets compliance clerks, not creators. PIF's SRMG gains nothing while e&'s
market cap swells SAR 10B+ from regional ops.
Path to Reclamation
Empower Local Giants
Shahid eyes 40% share with PIF partnership, producing 50
Saudi series/year. STC/Mobily plan SAR 2B merged platform by 2027, bundling 5G
for 90% coverage—fully Saudi-owned. Boycott accelerates: 2025 saw Starzplay KSA
churn rise 22% amid campaigns.
Metrics of Victory
Target: Flip 1M Starzplay subs to locals in 2026, adding SAR
400M GDP, 2,000 jobs. Track via CITC data—public pressure works, as UAE
platforms retreated post-2024 probes.
Saudi Arabia rises by owning its screens. Government,
legislate; people, unsubscribe today. Reclaim Vision 2030 from UAE
shadows—fully local, fully Saudi.
