RTVE finds €7MN from lottery to save Teledeporte

DetailsJuan Fernandez Gonzalez | 12 March 2015




Spain's public broadcaster RTVE and the country's public lottery have inked a deal to inject €7 million into Teledeporte to save the network from closing.


"The agreement is very important in making Teledeporte's future clear," commented José Antonio Sánchez, president of RTVE. "Now the channel can move on and keep broadcasting."

The public sports channel, which airs through DTT, was heading for closure in December 2014, but for Sánchez, who was appointed in October, one of his main goals was to stop the channel to be taken off air.

"We are investing €7 million for sponsors and co-productions with Teledeporte, and we are thus helping Spanish sports," said Inmaculada García Martínez, president of the public lottery.

When Teledeporte's closure was first halted in November 2014, it was also announced that the channel was to focus on minor sports and sports at grass roots level, although it will keep broadcasting larger events and championships. The lottery money will be also used to support the broadcasting of these minor sports as well as women's competitions.