{"id":299910,"date":"2023-12-08T11:54:38","date_gmt":"2023-12-08T11:54:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/allmysportsnews.com\/?p=299910"},"modified":"2023-12-08T11:54:38","modified_gmt":"2023-12-08T11:54:38","slug":"saudi-pro-leagues-new-embarrassment-as-tiny-crowd-attend-game-at-8000-seater","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/allmysportsnews.com\/soccer\/saudi-pro-leagues-new-embarrassment-as-tiny-crowd-attend-game-at-8000-seater\/","title":{"rendered":"Saudi Pro League’s new embarrassment as tiny crowd attend game at 8,000-seater"},"content":{"rendered":"
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    The Saudi Pro League has suffered fresh embarrassment after just 640 fans showed up for a game. <\/p>\n

    The state-backed league has rocked the football world by luring some of the biggest football stars on the planet, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Neymar. The likes of Jordan Henderson and Sadio Mane have also headed to the Middle East while another Liverpool star, Mo Salah, is expected to join them at some point. <\/p>\n

    Despite the vast sums being spent on the league, it has clearly failed to catch the attention of local fans. Paltry attendances have blighted the league all season and there was another embarrassingly low showing as Al-Hazem and Al-Fateh clashed on Thursday.<\/p>\n

    READ MORE: Saudi Pro League hits humiliating new low as just 264 people turn up for match <\/b><\/p>\n

    READ MORE: Cristiano Ronaldo blows kisses at fans chanting 'Messi' as Al-Nassr are thumped by rivals <\/b><\/p>\n

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    The official attendance at the 8,000-capacity Al-Hazm Club Stadium was just 640. To put that into context, seven clubs in the Northern Premier League \u2013 the seventh tier of English football \u2013 boast bigger average attendances, including the likes of Marine, Workington and Ilkeston. <\/p>\n

    However, 640 is far from the lowest Saudi Pro League attendance so far this season. Recently, just 264 supporters showed up for the 0-0 draw between Al-Riyadh and Al-Hazm. The match was played at Al-Riyadh\u2019s 22,188-seater stadium. In September, another Al-Riyadh home game, a 1-0 defeat to Al-Okhdood, saw just 133 fans turn up.<\/p>\n

    What do you think of players heading to the Saudi Pro League? Tell us in the comments section below<\/i> <\/b><\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n

    The struggle to fill seats demonstrates the huge gulf between the four PIF-owned clubs \u2013 who have splashed out on big names \u2013 and the resources possessed by the rest of the league. The highest attendance figure of the season belongs to Neymar\u2019s Al-Hilal, 59,600. The league average of less than 9,000 is inflated dramatically by those richer clubs\u2019 matches.<\/p>\n

    Some Saudi Pro League players could soon be performing in front of packed Premier League stadiums after the English top-flight was defeated in its bid to ban loan transfers between associated party clubs in January.<\/p>\n

    The move was designed to prevent a club like Newcastle loaning a player from another club owned by Saudi Arabia\u2019s Public Investment Fund. The Premier League needed 14 out of 20 clubs to vote for the ban at the shareholders\u2019 meeting, but the vote finished 13-7 in favour of a ban, short of the threshold to push the motion through.<\/p>\n