La Liga clubs’ TV stalemate continues

The Spanish League (LFP) has once again failed to reach agreement over the scheduling of games and the share-out of television money.

Reports in Spain said that a three-hour meeting on Thursday evening was unsuccessful in resolving the issue of kick-off times and the distribution of media rights, while LFP spokesman Juan Carlos Santamaria said the subject of whether a weekly live free-to-air match should be broadcast had not been discussed.

The La Liga clubs, with the exceptions of Barcelona and Real Madrid, are seeking a fairer share-out of TV revenue and more suitable kick-off times, although it seems the only thing that has changed since the last get-together is that Sogecable, who alongside Mediapro own the rights to live televised football, has increased its share of the market and is now on equal terms with its rival.

Javier Tebas, the LFP’s recently-elected Vice-President, had earlier outlined the organisation’s objectives.

“The clubs aim to charge as much as possible for television rights but want to broadcast fewer matches at times that are not appropriate, so that stadiums are full, so we will see if agreement can be reached,” said Tebas, who will be one of the figureheads for a future commission that will examine the playing schedule and any decisions that the TV companies take.

However, Sevilla Vice-President Jose Maria Cruz feels an impasse has now been reached.

“The feeling Sevilla get is that unfortunately we have arrived at a situation where the institution is not responding to the general interests of the public, but to the interests of an artificial majority.

“This artificial majority is imposing its own principles rather than trying to resolve, in a neutral and comprehensive way, all circumstances relating to Spanish football,” declared Cruz, who refused to clarify the matter further, although Real Betis director Antonio Sanchez Pino was rather more forthcoming.

“There has been no momentous decision. We spoke about the television issue and the composition of the commission, but there is nothing definite,” he revealed.

With the new La Liga season due to commence on the weekend of August 18-19 the concerns aired in the 2012-13 campaign appear no nearer to being settled, despite further meetings planned for the coming weeks.

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La Liga - Club News