Bolivian first division side Bolívar became the second football club, after Liga MX side Chivas Guadalajara, "to carry its matches on the Internet," according to the DPA. After offering four games for free, Bolívar charged fans to watch Sunday's game against The Strongest on its app, Bolívar TV. Bolívar won the game 3-1. The cost of an annual subscription to Bolívar TV is $18, and the service is available in Bolivia and internationally (DPA, 5/15). In Cochabamba, Gabriel Caero Rodríguez wrote Bolívar TV is, "without a doubt, a pioneering app in Bolivia for the Internet broadcasting of Bolívar games and content." Though it "follows Chivas Guadalajara, the Bolívar TV app promises to revolutionize the future of sports broadcasting in Bolivia, considering the club decided this year to end its broadcast agreement with Sports TV Rights, which owns the rights to the Bolivian first division." Time "will tell if the innovation of the app for the Bolivian market is successful or not" (LOS TIEMPOS, 5/15).
PIRACY STILL AN ISSUE: In Mexico City, Miriam Castro reported for every Chivas Guadalajara game that airs on Chivas TV, "there are 20-30 illegal broadcasts through various platforms like Facebook Live and Twitter." Chivas CEO José Luis Higuera said that despite this, "Chivas TV is profitable and has been from day one." He said that matches on Chivas TV draw an average audience of 40,000 across all platforms, "which is far fewer than the 100,000 that access the illegal streams" (LA AFICION, 5/16).
