Real Madrid and Barcelona are to "lead Spanish efforts to rival the Premier League in the United States, with La Liga identifying America as a 'sports marketplace par excellence' which could stage competitive Spanish fixtures," according to Mark Ogden of the London TELEGRAPH. Spanish Football League (LFP) President Javier Tebas claimed Spanish football "can claim its own place in the American sporting landscape as the self-styled 'best league in the world.'" And while the EPL and FA continue to "play down the prospect of staging competitive fixtures overseas, Tebas admits that La Liga will not rule out a similar initiative." Tebas: "We are the best league in the world. We have fans in every corner of the globe and we want to deliver our product in any format necessary." Tebas, who claims Spain can "tap into the Latin American community" in the U.S. to establish a "foothold in the country, insists La Liga can bridge the gap between itself and the Premier League." He added, "The U.S. is the sports marketplace par excellence. It is the place where any global spectacle must prove its worth, where success is sought in terms of market, strategy and product. We want to be able to create and deliver Spanish football there" (TELEGRAPH, 8/3).
