Spain's Professional Football League Meeting With Clubs Over TV Rights And Match Times

Following their meeting, the Spanish Professional Football League (LFP) and its clubs "continue without reaching an agreement" over the match times and the splitting of the TV rights, according to the EFE. Before the meeting, LFP VP Javier Tebas had declared that the objectives of the clubs to "collect a lot" and "broadcast the least number of games possible" at times that only favor them "are not compatible." Tebas said: "The clubs want to collect a lot for the TV rights, but broadcast the least number of games possible to fill their stadiums, and that is not compatible, we will see how we can reach a deal." In terms of TV rights, all the clubs besides Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, who both take in €150M ($184.5M) a season from those rights, are in favor of "collective sharing" (EFE, 7/26). The EFE also reported Sevilla FC VP Jose María Cruz and Real Betis Adviser Jose Sanchez Pino were the only two individuals present at the meeting who "expressed their opinions" after the encounter. Cruz said, "Unfortunately, we believe that the institution is not responding to the general interest, but a artificial majority that is imposing its demands." For his part, Pino was more optimistic saying "things had advanced" (EFE, 7/26).