Spanish football could be plunged into turmoil next week as a new sports law is voted on this Tuesday.
Originally a number of proposals had been agreed between the Partido Popular and the Partido Socialista Obrero Espanol, the opposition and the ruling party, that would make amendments to the law.
However in recent days they have been retracted, causing panic amongst the 39 clubs involved in the CVC deal, everyone in the top two divisions aside from Athletic Club, Real Madrid and Barcelona. It may result in strike action next week.
The other 39 clubs want the law changed so that if Real Madrid and Barcelona, do set up and join a Superleague, they will have their licence revoked to play in Spain, making the two incompatible.
The other key issue is that with the law written as it is, it may make the CVC deal illegal. Diario AS say that it could cost the 39 clubs involved €9.1b over the next ten years.
The €2bn already invested in clubs would be converted into debt due over the next 15 years and the €1bn still to come would obviously not arrive. The CVC deal also impacts over 50 sponsors and if they were to be removed, it would cut the sponsorship money by €2.6b. Equally TV rights would fall by around €3.5b, investment in technology would fall by €2.42b too.
How much or whether these deals would be replaced and at what kind of rate is as of yet unknown.
The timing and seriousness of these figures suggest that there is certainly an interest in this news reaching the public sphere, something Real Madrid and Barcelona might find too convenient. However that is not to say that the figures are not credible. Should this law go through, it may change the face of Spanish football for good given the financial crisis that may ensue.
Image via Los Oliva
