Saudi Arabia is quietly meeting Twitch, sports officials, and stars like Kobe Bryant in an apparent attempt to 'sportswash' its reputation

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https://www.businessinsider.com/saudi-arabia-lobbied-kobe-bryant-mlb-mls-sports-project-2019-9

Saudi Arabia is quietly meeting Twitch, sports officials, and stars like Kobe Bryant in an apparent attempt to 'sportswash' its reputation

Amongst the meetings, declared by Churchill Ripley in the government filings, were:

Don Garber, commissioner of Major League Soccer (MLS).

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https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/sep/02/sportswashing-saudi-arabia-sports-mohammed-bin-salman

Sportswashing: how Saudi Arabia lobbies the US's largest sports bodies

Saudi Arabia’s relatively sudden interest in sports can be construed as a soft power tactic to help distract from the kingdom’s ongoing human rights abuses and the Yemen crisis

Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the kingdom’s General Sports Authority to set up a Sports Development Fund to bolster sports activity in the country. Photograph: Yuri Kadobnov/AFP/Getty Images

Last month, the foreign registration documentation for Saudi Arabia’s 2018 lobbying campaign in the United States were made available online. The documents shed light on the kingdom’s aggressive sportswashing strategy that included meetings and business calls with the commissioners for Major League Soccer (MLS), the National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB), as well as officials from World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and the Los Angeles Olympic Committee.

As of the time of writing, none of the MLS, WSL, Madison Square Garden, or the Bryant Stibel investment group have responded to a request for comment from the Guardian. An NBA spokesperson said: “NBA representatives regularly meet with basketball federations from around the world.”

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https://www.espn.com/soccer/major-league-soccer/story/3934404/sources-beckhams-miami-eyes-river-plate-star

Sources: Beckham's Miami eyes River Plate star

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https://www.beinsports.com/us/transfer-tracker/news/report-river-plates-exequiel-palacios-turned-/1282948

Report: River Plate's Exequiel Palacios Turned Down Beckham's Inter Miami

Exequiel Palacios reportedly turned down a $20m move to MLS, with the River Plate star preferring to wait for a European move.

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https://www.tycsports.com/river-plate/inter-miami-ofrecio-una-fortuna-pero-palacios-la-rechazo-20190902.html

Inter Miami ofreció una fortuna pero Palacios la rechazó

El club presidido por David Beckham, que empezará a competir en la MLS a partir del año que viene, estaba dispuesto a poner 20 millones de dólares pero el mediocampista prefiere irse a Europa.

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https://www.lawinsport.com/content/articles/item/betting-beer-and-cbd-how-u-s-leagues-teams-are-approaching-new-non-traditional-categories-for-sports-sponsorships

Betting, beer and CBD – how U.S. leagues & teams are approaching new non-traditional categories for sports sponsorships