Spanish Football Federation Votes To Rescind Media Contract With Marketing Agency

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and its President Ángel María Villar voted unanimously to "rescind its contract" with marketing agency Grupo Santa Mónica Sports, according to Javier Metallanas of AS. The group had "the exclusive media rights" to La Roja since June 11, 2007. The RFEF cited "breach of contract" as the reason for its decision and said that "it reserves the rights" to sue the company, which sold the rights to the national team from Jan. 1 through the 2014 World Cup to Mediaset for €17M ($22.2M), "without consulting the RFEF." The sum is "half of what the previous deal with TVE was worth." Furthermore, Santa Mónica Sports owes the federation €13.6M ($17.8M). Villar said that starting now, the RFEF would "negotiate its media rights directly with operators" (AS, 2/26)