TV Rights Deals 1: Football: La Liga, Champions League and Bundesliga deals

Football: Spanish media group Prisa agreed a deal with the Mediapro agency for the exclusive pay-television rights of one La Liga match each week, to be shown on Prisa’s Canal Plus premium channel, and the non-exclusive pay-per-view rights for all other matches except the one match each week that by law must be shown free-to-air.
The deal, covering the three years from 2009-10 to 2011-12, appears to mark the end of the so-called “football war” between the two parties. Both companies have numerous lawsuits against each other, over the ownership of club rights, which will still stand, although Prisa said that it was hopeful of finding an amicable solution.
The deal also paves the way for the merger of the companies’ free-to-air broadcasters, Prisa’s Cuatro and Mediapro’s La Sexta. La Sexta and commercial broadcaster Telecinco are the most likely candidates to win the free-to-air La Liga rights.