RABAT, Morocco, Feb. 21, 2014 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- beIN Sports Arabia (formerly Al Jazeera Sport) saw 26% subscriber growth in 2013 to end the year with 2.43 million active users across 23 countries in the Middle East and North Africa. The DTH platform accounted for approximately 81% of the operator's total pay-TV subs end-2013, with the remainder on IPTV networks in the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

A new report published by Dataxis, "beIN Sports Arabia – Operator Profile", reveals that Saudi Arabia and UAE together counted 1.34 million beIN Sports subscribers at the end of 2013, representing 56% of the operator's total pay-TV base in the MENA region.

Other countries – such as Lebanaon, Algeria, and Tunisia – have not performed so well, however, where Khadija Lokmane, Dataxis Market Analyst and report author, says piracy is still slowing the growth of pay-TV. "In North Africa, for example, Algeria has the largest base of subscribers for beIN Sports, but black market usage is estimated at three times the official beIN Sport Arabia subscriber numbers," says Lokmane.

The Al Jazeera group united its global sports operations under the single banner of beIN Sports on January 1, 2014, and subsequently launched an OTT service for beIN Sports Arabia in the MENA region. The online service simulcasts beIN Sports Arabia channels for a monthly subscriptions of just USD 19 per month (or USD 100 until July 31, 2014) – significantly cheaper than the average cost of USD 29.45 per month to access its Basic DTH package.

-ENDS-

About Dataxis

Dataxis is a Global Business Intelligence firm that specializes in delivering online statistical intelligence, reports and events covering the Telecom, TV & Media businesses. Dataxis launched its first quarterly online intelligence service in 2000, and now has offices in Europe, North America, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

For further information please visit www.dataxis.com

About "beIN Sports Arabia – Operator Profile"

This report was completed in January, 2014, and includes historical subscriber data for both DTH and IPTV services covering the period from 2009 to 2013. The report focuses on the activities of beIN Sports across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) – where it is also known as beIN Sports Arabia (formerly Al Jazeera Sport).

For more information please contact:

Khadija LokmaneMarket AnalystDataxisTel: +(212) 537 56 46 64Email: khadija.lokmane@dataxis.com 

SOURCE: Dataxis

Media Contact: Pascal orhan, Dataxis, 0033609854655, pascal.orhan@dataxis.com

News distributed by PR Newswire iReach: https://ireach.prnewswire.com

SOURCE Dataxis

RELATED LINKShttp://www.dataxis.com