Founder members Coritiba and Atlético-PR have confirmed their withdrawal from Brazilian domestic football competition the Primeira Liga, citing dissatisfaction with the division of broadcast rights revenue.
The Primeira Liga confirmed that the two clubs will leave the competition, citing “internal disagreements” as the reason behind their decision.
However, Coritiba said in a statement: “Coritiba, one of the creators of the Primeira Liga, will not participate in the next edition of the competition. The decision was taken as we are at odds in relation to decisions within the Liga, especially those relating to the division of television quotas.”
The latest development comes after it was reported last month that Brazilian media company Globo was set to agree a rights deal covering the next three editions of the Primeira Liga, running from 2017 to 2019.
The Primeira Liga is comprised of clubs from the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Paraná, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro. Its inaugural edition ran from January 27 to April 20 with Fluminense defeating Atletico-PR 1-0 in the final.
In its statement, the Primeira Liga said that the club line-up and schedule for the 2017 competition would be announced in the coming days.