Vodafone, Orange score La Liga rights


Details

Juan Fernandez Gonzalez

| 12 April 2016




Mediapro has finally sold the beIN Sports La Liga pay-TV channel to Orange and Vodafone, leaving Telefónica without exclusivity.


camp nouDuring the next three seasons, until summer 2019, Orange TV and Vodafone TV will offer a complete football package with eight live games per week, including one of Real Madrid or FC Barcelona, and the Copa del Rey, except for the semi-finals and final.

To complete its sports package, Orange also intends to negotiate with Telefónica for the only TV rights package that remains exclusive, the one including the most important game of the week.

Even though Telefónica planned to retain exclusivity, the market regulator, the Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC) has repeatedly ruled against content monopoly. Therefore, Orange is also expected to succeed in this final negotiation.

Vodafone has also secured the beIN Sports La Liga rights for its over-the-top (OTT) platform, Vodafone TV Online.

Orange and Vodafone also own the La Liga broadcasting rights for public places such as bars and restaurants and are already airing the beIN Sports Champions League channel. As a result, Spain’s three largest telcos will offer, from next season, similar sports packages, which until now had been an offer differentiator.