MUMBAI: Now this is what we call an announcement that has “come out of left field”. LaLiga declared Monday that it has agreed a three-season broadcast partnership on the Indian subcontinent with Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd-controlled Viacom18 Media network.
Interestingly, the exclusive “home” of LaLiga in the Indian sub-continent for the next three years at least will be MTV, flagship youth brand of Viacom 18 Media Pvt. Ltd, the Indian joint venture operation between TV18 and ViacomCBS.
LaLiga’s new media rights for India kicks off from the coming 2021-22 season.
Enabled and supported by Rise Worldwide (formerly IMG Reliance Limited before RIL bought out global sports, events and talent management company from the joint venture), LaLiga will air exclusively on MTV in India, along with select national and regional network channels and livestreamed via the Voot OTT platform and Jio, India’s leading digital service provider.
Collectively the agreement will cover India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Maldives, with commentary provided in English and Hindi. Standout matches will also be made available on additional Viacom18 channels with further commentaries in regional languages Bengali, Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam.
Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Given the following that football currently enjoys in India, Viacom18 and MTV are committed to building a wholesome entertainment-driven ecosystem centred around LaLiga, in a bid to further build fandom of the game among a potential audience of 800 million people.
Consumption and following of football in India has increased consistently over the past decade, especially amongst the younger demographic. Currently in its 91st season, LaLiga is one of the most followed football leagues across the world and is home to Europe’s finest talent and football clubs including Atlético de Madrid, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and others. MTV is the premier destination for youth entertainment and content in India and boasts of a strong affinity with younger viewers.
This new commitment and alliance with Viacom18 represents a further step in LaLiga’s growth strategy for India, where it has had an office since 2016 and has developed important sports and training projects, including its partnership with the Vicente Ferrer Foundation as well as commercial agreements with Dream11 and BKT, which is also a global partner of LaLiga. In addition, its followers on social networks have grown to more than 6 million in India and more than 13 million on the subcontinent.
Speaking about the agreement Oscar Mayo, executive director at LaLiga said, “We are excited to partner with Viacom18 (MTV India) and further bolster LaLiga to an ever-growing football fan base in India. Having set one of the highest standards of football globally and India gaining tremendous momentum, we are confident that we will reach and engage with the youthful audience that MTV as a destination appeals to.”
Speaking about LaLiga on MTV, Anshul Ailawadi, Business head – Youth, Music and English Entertainment said, “We at MTV have always known that football enjoys a groundswell of support amongst young-at-heart Indians. LaLiga in particular is a cultural phenomenon all over the world. When the folks from RISE Worldwide introduced us to LaLiga team, we realised that this was a partnership waiting to happen – the vision was common, the vibes were good, and we quickly put pen to paper.”
Viacom18 will put the network’s might behind building reach and resonance for the league amongst Indian viewers. It will connect with football fans through a massive marketing and communications campaign, further building the fandom and outreach for LaLiga in India. MTV’s extensive social media and digital clout will ensure that LaLiga engages fans through a multi-platform approach, potentially making football a part of dinner-table conversations across Indian homes and further widen MTV and Viacom18’s offering to its viewers.
