The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has announced that "all domestic football will be suspended as of May 16 in an argument over government interference in the league's television rights," according to the AP. The dispute centers around a law passed last week that "forced the RFEF to sell television rights for La Liga collectively." Currently, all clubs negotiate rights individually, a policy that "hugely favours powers Barcelona and Real Madrid financially." The government approved the law on April 30, "though it still needs to be approved by parliament." Under the proposed law, the RFEF would receive 4.55 % of all revenue, a figure it "considers inadequate." The RFEF said on Wednesday that the legislation "has not resolved any of the problems gravely affecting soccer." As a result, the federation has called an "indefinite strike" that will "suspend all competitions in all categories" from May 16. The federation said on its website, "Representatives from the referees' union and coaches as well as the
federations in the sphere of autonomy, have told us they have no
intention of participating in the competitions, which makes the dispute
impossible to prevent. At the same time, and once more, we reiterate the offer of dialogue on behalf of the RFEF to the government of Spain" (AP, 5/6).
PLAYERS SPEAK OUT: ESPN's Dermot Corrigan reported the Spanish Footballers' Association (AFE) is "reportedly considering strike action for the penultimate round of games," to be played on the weekend of May 17, and including the "potentially crucial" Atlético Madrid against Barcelona fixture. The AFE is "unhappy with the smallprint of the new TV revenue distribution deal recently signed into law by the Spanish government." Lionel Messi has "offered his backing to a possible strike." This new broadcast arrangement was "widely welcomed as a chance to lessen the financial dominance of Real Madrid and Barcelona in Spanish football." The AFE, however, is "reported to be unhappy at not being involved in negotiations," which led to the deal, and "especially that a guarantee of support for players does not appear anywhere in the new legislation." Messi: "That is something which AFE have said to us, they came here for a meeting with us. The players are with them in what they say." Bayern Munich's Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso said, "There are positive things in the new agreement for the clubs, but from the footballer's point of view it is not good. So we support the complaints from AFE. Some of the measures in there are not so good. It is not a bad agreement, but it could have been better" (ESPN, 5/6). In Madrid, Juan Jiménez reported the AFE "does not understand two aspects" of the new law. First, "the AFE is ignored in the distribution of revenue, which includes 1% going to elite athletes who are not footballers." The EPL's players receive 1.5%, while in France, the figure is 1.09%. The AFE "is not mentioned in the new law." The AFE also believes the difference between rich and modest players "is growing." In France, 65% of revenue goes to Ligue 1, with 35% to its second tier. In Germany, Bundesliga clubs receive 79% of revenue compared to 21% for the second tier. In Spain, "the difference is 90-10" (AS, 5/6).
