LONDON // UAE fans watching Spanish football’s La Liga club matches on TV may be surprised to see the hoardings around the edge of the pitches showing adverts for firms such as the Bahraini fast-food chain Jasmi.
It may be more of a surprise to learn that only viewers in the Mena region can see those ads. That is thanks to digital replacement technology (DRT), which allows completely different advertising to be shown depending on where the match is being broadcast. Watch a game in this country and the advertising you see on perimeter hoardings can be completely different to the advertising fans will see in China, for example.
“We’ve had by far the most enquiries about what we do, how it’s done and can we buy it, from the Mena region,” says Charlie Marshall, the chief operating officer of Supponor, a market leader in the field of DRT, which has so far used its system at 250 commercial live events. Spain’s professional football league, La Liga, has been using Supponor for digital replacement advertising in the broadcast of its live matches for the last few years.
“I think it’s more noticeable when you’re watching a game and you see your local brands or language on the boards,” says Mr Marshall.
“You’re more likely to ask: ‘Why is Cars Online, a Mena website, advertising in that stadium? Why would they be sponsoring Real Madrid?’ And then you go: ‘hang on a minute, they’re not actually in the stadium, it’s virtual reality.’ It has a bigger impact simply because of the look and feel as no one is used to seeing local Mena languages on boards. Also the consumer market in Mena is more tech savvy and switched on.”
Digital replacement advertising works by superimposing virtual ads over what is actually being displayed on perimeter boards in the real world. Using a combination of hardware and software, the live broadcast stream is split for different markets and different region-specific advertising content is integrated into each feed. On a very basic level, the software replaces pixels within a video image. In effect, it is a more sophisticated version of the green screen technology used to superimpose maps behind a meteorologist during TV weather reports, for instance.
The technology has previously been used in football for clocks and basic scorecard graphics, but more recently there has been a growth in marketing graphics that seek to appear to viewers that a logo or advert is actually there on the pitch, perimeter board or behind the goal, says Mr Marshall.
The technology boosts revenues for rights holders who sell advertising at football matches because it allows them to increase their advertising and sponsorship inventory.
“This technology multiplies the inventory of rights we can market,” says Mario Bayarri, the chief executive at Mediapro Middle East, part of the Spain-based Mediapro, the global media group that owns international rights for La Liga. “Now we can sell one minute of advertising exposure during a match to five different markets, meaning that instead of 90 minutes of advertising space availability per match, we now can sell 450 minutes per match.”
DRT also opens up new opportunities for advertisers and sponsors. Using the technology, brands can customise their advertising content at a match for a specific territory, and feature language and products relevant to its audience.
“An airline can advertise special rates flying from China on the Chinese broadcasting of that match, and at the same time it can communicate rates from Europe on the European feed,” says Mr Bayarri. “All of this, on the same match, live and in real time.”
It also means advertisers or sponsors can use the minutes of ad space they have bought more effectively. Global brands that have bought global advertising inventory can advertise their different brands and products to specific audiences, and smaller regional brands can pay to advertise just to targeted local audiences.
“There’s a lot of wastage involved with buying global inventory,” says Mr Marshall. “The technology is a big benefit … whether you’re a brand or an agency, that ability to prove that every dollar spent is a dollar used, is important.”
Agrees Julie Audette, the associate director for marketing, communication and visitor services at the Abu Dhabi-based asset management organisation Miral. Miral has used digital replacement advertising at La Liga matches to promote Yas Island, and Ms Audette says it allows them to connect their brand to a regional audience while not wasting budget on global campaigns that reach non-relevant audiences.
“With a minimum of one minute per match of digiboard perimeter advertising at all Real Madrid and Barcelona away games, 100 per cent of our ads are viewed,” says Ms Audette. “La Liga is the most watched football league in the Mena region with games averaging around 15 million viewers. Some games go well above 25 million, according to figures from broadcaster beIN SPORTS. This offers Yas Island maximum exposure across the region while eliminating global overspill as we focus on this region, targeting residents of UAE and tourists of neighbouring countries.”
Advertisers in the Mena market have experimented more than most, says Mr Marshall. “With Barcelona and Madrid games in the last four years, the feeds from those games have been customised with Mena brands on the boards. They’re probably on the boards for about 50 per cent of the inventory. So about 50 per cent of the inventory is global brands because people still want to buy global, but about 50 per cent is local. What we see in Mena is lots of local language, local script, there’s a very different look and feel.”
While some viewers in the UAE have noticed DRT advertising in La Liga games, it is not yet clear what kind of impact it has. “Obviously I first noticed it was regional when I saw Arabic text and then realised it’s virtual when they show replays,” says Abdalla Mohamed, the vice president of the FC Barcelona Fan Club UAE. “The Arabic virtual ads don’t show on the replays. So you’re seeing the same incident a few seconds later but the ads now read in Spanish. This [relatively] new technology is quite impressive but in the end I barely pay attention to any of the advertising.”
While DRT is being refined all the time, there are still challenges to deploying it. While the quality of the transmission – in the past advertising occasionally masked players’ shirts or limbs – has been improved, says Mr Marshall, the key challenge is scalability of the technology.
“It’s high-end technology and it does have components that need to be at the ground, integrating with the host broadcaster,” he says. “Every environment is different, everyone uses different kit, different workflow, and we still need quite a lot of specialists to make the system work. It’s not as plug-and-play as it needs to be to get scale.”
Showing different advertising in different markets also calls into question who owns the inventory, says Mr Marshall. “The physical sign is owned by the club, ground or broadcaster, but if signage is put on in the broadcast, who owns it now? The broadcaster is the ultimate enabler. Getting a new commercial framework in place is taking a bit of time, which is why it’s rolling out in pockets with rights holders who have been able to align all these deployment issues.”
Finally, while some other football clubs in Europe have used the technology for one-off matches, or tested it behind closed doors, the reality is clubs have to forge alliances with internal and external stakeholders, including other clubs in their league, before deploying the system, says Mr Marshall.
In the next two years, he predicts that at least two of the other big European leagues – perhaps Germany and Italy – will join La Liga in using the technology, and that it will take between three and five years for the technology to become more scaleable, and more widely used as standard.
“There are some really big opportunities coming where this technology will really come alive … the Fifa World Cup in 2018 and the European Championships, Euro 2020,” says Mr Marshall. “That’s when you’ll really see the technology’s potential.”
In the meantime, watch this space – or at least, the one that is being shown to you.
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Honeymoonish
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Bio:
Favourite Quote: Prophet Mohammad's quotes There is reward for kindness to every living thing and A good man treats women with honour
Favourite Hobby: Serving poor people
Favourite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite food: Fish and vegetables
Favourite place to visit: London
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Results:
6.30pm: Handicap (Turf) | US$175,000 2,410m | Winner: Bin Battuta, Christophe Soumillon (jockey), Saeed bin Suroor (trainer)
7.05pm: UAE 1000 Guineas Trial Conditions (Dirt) | $100,000 | 1,400m | Winner: Al Hayette, Fabrice Veron, Ismail Mohammed
7.40pm: Handicap (T) | $145,000 | 1,000m | Winner: Faatinah, Jim Crowley, David Hayes
8.15pm: Dubawi Stakes Group 3 (D) | $200,000 | 1,200m | Winner: Raven’s Corner, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
8.50pm: Singspiel Stakes Group 3 (T) | $200,000 | 1,800m | Winner: Dream Castle, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor
9.25pm: Handicap (T) | $175,000 | 1,400m | Winner: Another Batt, Connor Beasley, George Scott
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Innotech Profile
Date started: 2013
Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari
Based: Muscat, Oman
Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies
Size: 15 full-time employees
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
UAE rugby in numbers
5 - Year sponsorship deal between Hesco and Jebel Ali Dragons
700 - Dubai Hurricanes had more than 700 playing members last season between their mini and youth, men's and women's teams
Dh600,000 - Dubai Exiles' budget for pitch and court hire next season, for their rugby, netball and cricket teams
Dh1.8m - Dubai Hurricanes' overall budget for next season
Dh2.8m - Dubai Exiles’ overall budget for next season
MATCH RESULT
Al Jazira 3 Persepolis 2
Jazira: Mabkhout (52'), Romarinho (77'), Al Hammadi (90' 6)
Persepolis: Alipour (42'), Mensha (84')
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.6-litre turbo
Transmission: six-speed automatic
Power: 165hp
Torque: 240Nm
Price: From Dh89,000 (Enjoy), Dh99,900 (Innovation)
On sale: Now
%E2%80%98FSO%20Safer%E2%80%99%20-%20a%20ticking%20bomb
%3Cp%3EThe%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%20has%20been%20moored%20off%20the%20Yemeni%20coast%20of%20Ras%20Issa%20since%201988.%3Cbr%3EThe%20Houthis%20have%20been%20blockading%20UN%20efforts%20to%20inspect%20and%20maintain%20the%20vessel%20since%202015%2C%20when%20the%20war%20between%20the%20group%20and%20the%20Yemen%20government%2C%20backed%20by%20the%20Saudi-led%20coalition%20began.%3Cbr%3ESince%20then%2C%20a%20handful%20of%20people%20acting%20as%20a%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.ae%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3D%26esrc%3Ds%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D%26ved%3D2ahUKEwiw2OfUuKr4AhVBuKQKHTTzB7cQFnoECB4QAQ%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.thenationalnews.com%252Fworld%252Fmena%252Fyemen-s-floating-bomb-tanker-millions-kept-safe-by-skeleton-crew-1.1104713%26usg%3DAOvVaw0t9FPiRsx7zK7aEYgc65Ad%22%20target%3D%22_self%22%3Eskeleton%20crew%3C%2Fa%3E%2C%20have%20performed%20rudimentary%20maintenance%20work%20to%20keep%20the%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%20intact.%3Cbr%3EThe%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%20is%20connected%20to%20a%20pipeline%20from%20the%20oil-rich%20city%20of%20Marib%2C%20and%20was%20once%20a%20hub%20for%20the%20storage%20and%20export%20of%20crude%20oil.%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%E2%80%99s%20environmental%20and%20humanitarian%20impact%20may%20extend%20well%20beyond%20Yemen%2C%20experts%20believe%2C%20into%20the%20surrounding%20waters%20of%20Saudi%20Arabia%2C%20Djibouti%20and%20Eritrea%2C%20impacting%20marine-life%20and%20vital%20infrastructure%20like%20desalination%20plans%20and%20fishing%20ports.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
More on animal trafficking
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20SupplyVan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELaunch%20year%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2029%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MRO%20and%20e-commerce%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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