Spain's football authorities are making plans that would see Barcelona and Real Madrid play competitive league matches in the U.S. and China "from as early as next season, as they seek to net greater revenues" from int'l audiences, according to Murad Ahmed of the FINANCIAL TIMES. La Liga said that it was "working on a plan to hold a number of regular season fixtures outside Spain" and is set to discuss the proposal with its member clubs. A similar initiative by the Premier League to host league matches on foreign soil was shelved in '08 after "fierce opposition from fans, politicians and media commentators." But La Liga believes the concept "could help fuel interest in Spain's league overseas and secure more lucrative broadcasting and sponsorship deals." La Liga President Javier Tebas said, "La Liga is global entertainment and we want to grow the international appeal of La Liga. As part of that effort we are discussing the option of playing some of the league matches outside of Spain. These discussions are still in early stages, but as La Liga, we support the idea." Two people familiar with the discussions said that the Spanish league matches "could be held overseas as early as next year" (FT, 9/8). REUTERS' Richard Martin reported according to analysis by Deloitte, La Liga ranks third out of Europe's top leagues in terms of revenue generated, behind the Premier League and the Bundesliga. La Liga has "sought to make up the difference with England and Germany by expanding abroad," opening offices in India, the U.S., the UAE, South Africa, Nigeria and China (REUTERS, 9/8).
