US satellite pay-television broadcaster DirecTV has dropped pay-television channel Gol TV from its service after the latter lost rights to the Spanish Liga, the top division of football in Spain.
Pay-television broadcaster Al Jazeera dislodged Gol TV as the Liga’s North American rights-holder ahead of the start of the 2012-13 season.
In August, Al Jazeera-owned pay-television operation beIN Sport launched in the US after securing a carriage deal with DirecTV. The English-language version of beIN Sport is now on offer in high and standard definition as part of DirecTV’s Sports Pack package. The channel is also distributed by the satellite pay-television platform Dish network.
“As a result of DirecTV’s new relationship with the Emir of the State of Qatar and founder of Al Jazeera, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, DirecTV intends to remove GolTV from its Sports Pack effective September 13,” Gol TV said.
Gol TV had held Liga rights since 2004 and sublicensed some games to the Spanish-language pay-television channel ESPN Deportes and the ESPN3.com website.