Canal+ & Mediapro to Share Football Rights for Spain

MADRID: Mediapro and Prisa’s Canal+ have reached an agreement to share La Liga broadcasting rights, settling a dispute that had threatened to delay the start of the season, which kicks off tomorrow.

The three-year agreement sees Prisa’s Canal+ taking on the exclusive pay-TV rights for 28 games featuring Real Madrid, FC Barcelona or games between rival clubs, as well as another eight matches for its soccer-league themed channel Canal+ Liga. Mediapro then offers eight matches per week on its digital terrestrial channel Gol T of the Liga Primera Division, with at least one match by Real Madrid or FC Barcelona. Mediapro will also distribute a game per day on the free-to-air channel La Sexta, preferably to be held on Monday, as well as the international rights to the Liga and Copa del Rey.

The agreement—covering the 2012-2013, 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 seasons—was reached with the intervention of Spain’s Secretary of State for Sport, Miguel Cardinal.

"The agreement…establishes a viable model for the Spanish league and presents a stable scenario for football fans for the seasons 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15," Mediapro said in a statement.