Newcastle United sponsor Sela opens London office with Olympics veteran
Saudi sport and entertainment company Sela is launching an office in the capital with the backing of London 2012 veteran Sir Keith Mills.
Sela delivered the Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois fight at Wembley last year and is the main sponsor of Premier League club Newcastle United, who play in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday.
The launch represents the international expansion of a firm with an increasing footprint in the UK, and its recent investment in TKO’s new boxing promotion – a rival to Matchroom and Queensberry – is set to enhance that presence.
Mills helped London win the London 2012 bid and served alongside Lord Coe to deliver the Games. He went on to work with Prince Harry on the Invictus Games.
Sela is also understood to be operating a new basketball league backed by Maverick Carter, business partner of NBA great LeBron James, which hopes to disrupt the sport by establishing global franchises.
Sela’s new footprint
“We are thrilled to launch Sela in London and to continue our international journey,” said Sela’s head of business Ibrahim Mohtaseb.
“Building on our strong track record of international successes, we have an exciting pipeline
of events and an ambitious growth strategy for the coming years. Our goal is to share our passion for creating spectacular live experiences with clients worldwide.”
Sela will be supported in London by Origin Sports Group, the consultancy founded by Mills, whose co-founder Stewart Hosford said: “With our team at Sela, we are positioned to bring proven expertise and innovative approach to the global market.
“We are already engaging with existing clients and exploring a pipeline of potential new clients.
“Sela aims to be the world’s leading operator of live sports and entertainment experiences, and we look forward to expanding our footprint across key markets worldwide.”
Sela’s deal with Newcastle United is reportedly worth £25m per season, with both the firm and the club majority owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.