Barcelona and Real Madrid games will only be shown on pay-per-view channels in Spain for the next three seasons.
Mediapro and Prisa TV reached an agreement last night to work together on broadcasting Primera and Segunda Division games for the next three years. The two companies were at loggerheads over scheduling, after several clubs broke their Mediapro contracts to sign with Prisa TV.
As part of their agreement to work together, it has been revealed that no Barcelona or Real Madrid games will be aired on freeview channels. This will remain so even if one of the clubs was to be eliminated from Europe early, which usually allows for greater flexibility in weekend scheduling.
“Free TV was the first choice, but they lost out because they [the broadcasters] believed that the football had been put at an exorbitant price,” explained Canal + director of sport Carlos Martinez, whose company have exclusive rights for Liga BBVA games for pay TV.
“Operators have been unable to provide a sufficient amount of money to pay and have lost out.”
Prisa TV’s Canal + will show 28 Primera Division games involving either Barcelona or Real Madrid, whilst Mediapro’s pay TV channel GolTV will televise each week at least one Barcelona or Real Madrid game as well. GolTV will also have rights to one of the Clasico encounters.
