From Formula 1 to Saudi Pro League — how Sunil Patel is capturing the region’s biggest sporting moments

LONDON: On December 31, 2022, just days after the World Cup ended in Qatar, Cristiano Ronaldo stunned the footballing world by joining Saudi Pro League and Riyadh giants Al-Nassr.

What had seemed to be only rumor was now reality, and it kick-started a football revolution that continues to reverberate around the Kingdom and the world.

The recent Netflix documentary series, “Saudi Pro League: Kickoff,” gave a glimpse into Saudi football in the same way “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” has into the echelons of top-tier motorsport.

Sunil Patel, co-founder and CEO of Whisper, the production house behind the show, recognizes this was a critical milestone for his company.

“We had built a relationship with the [Saudi] Ministry of Sport, and they wanted us to capture the essence of the SPL,” he explains.

However, when Whisper approached Netflix with the idea, there was initial skepticism: “Netflix didn’t believe we had the access to the SPL that we claimed.”

To allay any doubts, Whisper invited Netflix executives to their offices.

“We played them the tape of everything we’d shot, and they were blown away,” Patel recalled. This pivotal moment led to Netflix taking ownership of the project, marking the first significant access point in Saudi Arabia for the streaming giant.

“It was a watershed moment for us,” added Patel.

The resulting production struck a balance between the excitement of football and the broader narrative surrounding the SPL’s growth, incorporating critical discussions on infrastructure and the region’s evolving football landscape.

The program, however, was not an overnight success. Nor was it a case of jumping on the bandwagon of one of the world’s biggest sports stories. As with the Saudi Pro League