StarzPlay is one of the leading OTT streaming services in the MENA region, holding second place with an 18 percent market share as of 2023. At the Arabian Business Leadership Summit 2024, held at the Armani Hotel in Dubai, Maaz Sheikh — co-founder and CEO of StarzPlay — outlined the platform's strategic direction and the growth story behind its rise to 5 million subscribers.
"We had no competition when we started, and that is why we had the early bird advantage," Sheikh told attendees, setting the tone for a candid session on what it actually takes to compete against global giants like Netflix in a distinct and demanding market.
From Startup to Regional Media Force
StarzPlay has operated since 2015, delivering both SVOD (subscription video on demand) and FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) services across Smart TVs, mobile devices, web browsers, and gaming platforms. Its content library spans mainstream entertainment, Arabic-language programming, anime, and live sports.
The platform's subscriber growth tells the story of steady, deliberate expansion: from its early base of one million subscribers, through a projected three million in 2017, to five million by April 2024. Strategic backing from investors including Lionsgate, GE, and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office has been instrumental in funding that trajectory.
Three Strategic Pillars Behind StarzPlay's Growth
Sheikh identified three core pillars that have driven StarzPlay's competitive position in the MENA streaming market:
1. Localisation — StarzPlay develops and curates content specifically for MENA audiences, rather than simply licensing Western libraries and hoping they translate. This regional focus is central to differentiating the platform from global players who treat MENA as a secondary market.
2. Partnerships — The platform has built strategic distribution and content alliances with telecoms and entertainment giants including Ooredoo, STC, Disney, UFC, and the ICC. These partnerships broaden StarzPlay's reach through existing subscriber bases and add exclusive live content that competitors cannot easily replicate.
3. Agility — Sheikh emphasised the platform's ability to move quickly across content categories — Western entertainment, Arabic programming, anime, and sports — adapting to shifting audience preferences faster than larger, more bureaucratic rivals.
Purpose-Driven Leadership
Beyond strategy, Sheikh spoke about the motivational foundation required to sustain a business through difficult periods. He credited family as his driving force, arguing that purpose rooted in something personal and enduring outlasts any professional ambition alone.
Team Stability as a Competitive Advantage
On the subject of leadership and team-building, Sheikh highlighted a fact that stands out in the fast-moving tech sector: the original four-person founding team that launched StarzPlay has stayed together for twenty years.
"We are always learning and growing and screwing up, even with our own team. I think one of the biggest strengths of the original team that has been in place since day one is that we have never lost that," Sheikh said.
That continuity, he argued, is not just a feel-good story — it has been a practical engine of institutional knowledge, trust, and compounded learning that newer or more fragmented organisations simply cannot replicate.
What the StarzPlay Model Means for MENA Streaming
With MENA streaming revenues forecast to surpass $1.2 billion in 2024, the competitive stakes are rising. StarzPlay's approach — deep regional roots, carrier partnerships, live sports rights, and a stable leadership team — offers a blueprint for how a regional platform can hold its own against well-capitalised global entrants. The platform's 18 percent market share, second only to Shahid, suggests the model is working.
