Sports Boulevard Sponsors Saudi Cup, World’s Most Valuable Horse Race

The partnership was signed by JCSA chief executive Ziad Al-Mogren and SBF chief executive Jayne McGivern in the presence of Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al-Faisal, the chairman of the Equestrian Authority and the JCSA. SPA
The partnership was signed by JCSA chief executive Ziad Al-Mogren and SBF chief executive Jayne McGivern in the presence of Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al-Faisal, the chairman of the Equestrian Authority and the JCSA. SPA
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Sports Boulevard Sponsors Saudi Cup, World’s Most Valuable Horse Race

The partnership was signed by JCSA chief executive Ziad Al-Mogren and SBF chief executive Jayne McGivern in the presence of Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al-Faisal, the chairman of the Equestrian Authority and the JCSA. SPA
The partnership was signed by JCSA chief executive Ziad Al-Mogren and SBF chief executive Jayne McGivern in the presence of Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al-Faisal, the chairman of the Equestrian Authority and the JCSA. SPA

Sports Boulevard Foundation (SBF) signed a partnership with the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia (JCSA), making Sports Boulevard an official sponsor for the Sports Boulevard Riyadh Dirt Sprint race, one of the races held in the evening of the 2024 Saudi Cup, the world's most valuable horse race.

The partnership was signed by JCSA chief executive Ziad Al-Mogren and SBF chief executive Jayne McGivern in the presence of Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al-Faisal, the chairman of the Equestrian Authority and the JCSA.

This is the second year of the Sports Boulevard’s official sponsorship with the Saudi Cup, which this year has a combined prize fund of more than $37.35 million -- an increase of $2 million from last year. The greatest racehorses, jockeys, trainers, and owners will be welcomed by the organizers.

“Alongside the Sports Boulevard sponsorship of Riyadh Season races, their mission to transform the city of Riyadh and offer state-of-the-art equestrian sports facilities aligns with our ambition of bringing more of Saudi Arabia’s residents into the sport,” said Al-Mogren.

“We look forward to collaborating with the Sports Boulevard to promote equestrian sports to people across Riyadh City.”

According to McGivern, “Creating access to grassroots sports for people across Riyadh and the Kingdom, including horse-riding and other equine activities, is something I am passionate about.”

“Horseracing has a deep-rooted history in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with thoroughbred horses descended from Arabian bloodlines. As a globally famous horse racing event, this partnership is the perfect platform to encourage community engagement,” said McGivern.

The Saudi Cup will take place on February 23 and 24 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh. Through the partnership, visitors will have plenty of opportunities to find out more about the Sports Boulevard. Visitors to SBF’s booth will be able to learn more about how the megaproject will transform health and wellbeing in Riyadh.



‘Flooding Rains’ Threaten to Dampen Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
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‘Flooding Rains’ Threaten to Dampen Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)

The Paris Olympics look likely to get off to a soggy start.

Meteo-France, the French weather service, is predicting “flooding rains” Friday evening when the opening ceremony is set to unroll along the Seine River. But the show is set to go on as planned, starting at 1:30 p.m. EDT/7:30 p.m. CEST and should last more than three hours.

Already in the late afternoon, skies were gray with intermittent drizzle. There was a silver lining, though, with temperatures expected to stay relatively warm throughout the evening.

Instead of a traditional march into a stadium, about 6,800 athletes will parade on more than 90 boats on the Seine River for 6 kilometers (3.7 miles). Though 10,700 athletes are expected to compete at these Olympics, hundreds of soccer players are based outside Paris, surfers are in Tahiti and many have yet to arrive for their events in the second week, organizers said Thursday.

Hundreds of thousands of people, including 320,000 paying and invited ticket-holders, are expected to line the Seine’s banks as athletes are paraded along the river on boats.