MADRID: LaLiga has successfully completed the partial sale of the audiovisual content exploitation rights for the first and second divisions of the National League Championship in Spain and Andorra for the 2019/20 to 2021/22 seasons.
Of the eight lots put out to tender, none of them reached the reserve price. However, the control body decided Monday to provisionally award four lots (2, 4, 5 and 7) pending the signing of the relevant contracts.
The total amount for these four lots for the three-year period from 2019/20 to 2021/22 was €3.421 billion (an average of €1.140 billion per season), which consists of a 15% increase on the four equivalent lots for the previous three-year period (€2.978 billion).
Furthermore, the Copa del Rey and the 2nd Division are not included in Lots 4, 5 and 7 for the upcoming three-year period (whilst they were to some extent in the previous three-year period). The lots awarded in this first round and their respective successful bidders were:
Lot 4 – Telefonica: One match on every First Division matchday, free-to-air or paid, exclusive, with first choice. The six matches of the playoffs for promotion to the First Division, free-to-air or paid and nonexclusive. Non-exclusive highlights of all First and Second Division matches.
Lot 5 – Telefonica: LaLiga TV Channel or equivalent content: Eight matches from each First Division matchday, paid, exclusive, with third choice. The six matches of the playoffs for promotion to the First Division, paid and non-exclusive. Non-exclusive highlights of all First and Second Division matches.
Lot 2 – Mediapro: FTA and exclusive highlights of the competitions.
Lot 7 – Mediapro: LaLiga TV Channel or equivalent content: All First Division and Second Division matches, paid and for broadcast solely in public establishments (non-residential customers), exclusive. The six matches of the playoffs for promotion to the First Division, paid and non-exclusive. Non-exclusive highlights of all First and Second Division matches.
Mediapro, the Barcelona-owned company has been in controversy off late, having lost out on the Serie A rights as well to Sky Sports and DAZN. However, it continues to have the global audiovisual rights of the league.
Telefonica said on its official website: “Telefonica has always defended that the LaLiga matches are a very attractive content, but that its acquisition had to be carried out at the appropriate price. The offer made by the company meets these parameters.
“Thanks to these rights, Telefónica will continue to count on the widest content offer for the coming years and, in addition, it has reinforced the control over the content that is broadcast on its platform. Telefonica’s technological capabilities will allow the company to introduce new improvements to the product in order to increase its appeal to fans.”
