Video: ESPN Now Featuring La Liga
// July 20th, 2009 // No Comments » // Football, News
ESPN La Liga Promo
ESPN and GOL TV will beginning sharing the rights to the Spain’s La Liga starting with the upcoming 2009/10 season. This could really help the game take off with mainstream American viewers and looks to be only the beginning of ESPN’s expansion in the beautiful game.
ESPN2 will televise about 20 matches per season, and ESPN Deportes two or three per weekend of league play for a total of at least 95. At least 114 matches per season will be available online on ESPN360. ESPN’s networks will also share rights to Spain’s Copa del Rey.
It doesn’t hurt that Real Madrid has acquired Kaka, the 2007 FIFA player of the year, from AC Milan and is in the process of obtaining Cristiano Ronaldo, the 2008 FIFA player of the year, from Manchester United.
“We’re excited that, about getting a premier league in the world at probably at the most exciting time in its recent history,” said Lino Garcia, ESPN Deportes’ general manager.
La Liga is dominated by Real Madrid and Barcelona, the current European Champions League winner. The teams have split the last five La Liga titles and 21 of the last 25.
The league’s most-watched games, the two El Classic matchups between Barcelona and Real Madrid, likely will be simulcast by GolTV and ESPN. Last season, Barcelona’s 2-0 victory over Real Madrid on Dec. 13 was seen by 258,000 Hispanic television households in the U.S., and Barca’s 6-2 rout on May 2 by 189,000, GolTV said.
“This was not driven by Ronaldo or Kaka,” said Rodrigo Lombello, GolTV’s chief operating officer. “That was a nice addition, but it would have happened without the two.”
ESPN had held U.S. rights to the Champions League since 1994-95, but Fox Soccer Channel will take over next season under a three-year deal. Those matches are on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, while La Liga games are on weekends.
A concern for GOL TV subscribers is that ESPN could cherry pick the top matches and put them on ESPNDeportes which would add one more layer of tier pricing. Also with the still limited availability of 360, too many quality matches might only be available online, which would be unfortunate given the blockbuster off-season moves that seem to be fashioning La Liga into the most exciting league in the world.
[ESPN]
