Saudi Arabia is once again luring one of soccer’s biggest names with a multi-million-dollar contract — this time it’s Brazilian superstar Neymar, who is reported to have agreed to a two-year deal with Saudi pro team Al-Hilal.
Click here to read the story at cnbc.com.
Discussion Questions:
- What is a sports product?
- Is the Saudi soccer league a product?
- Why might they be interested in attracting ‘exceptional players only’, as suggested in this news story?
- What is profit?
- How do sports teams calculate profit?
- What is an expense?
- What is typically the biggest expense that a pro sports team might incur?
- What is “sportswashing”?
- How might this story represent an example of that concept?
- Paying Neymar this kind of money will make it nearly impossible for Al-Hilal (his new team) to generate a profit. Do you think the team, or league, cares if the team is profitable? Why or why not?