GolTV maintains Ecuadorian league rights payments during Covid-19 shutdown

Pay-television broadcaster GolTV has committed to fulfilling its rights payments to clubs in Ecuadorian football’s top-tier Serie A.

The 2020 season was suspended by LigaPro, the professional league body, on March 14 because of the Covid-19 pandemic but GolTV has insisted it will keep up its payments.

The broadcaster said that it would continue to fulfil all of its commitments “pending the clubs’ prompt return to training and the subsequent resumption of the National Championship in its entirety”.

The broadcaster added: “These are difficult times but the football community and family must be more united than ever. Let’s work to achieve a united Ecuador for fair play in health, sports and finance.”

GolTV holds the broadcast rights to the top two divisions of Ecuadorian club football from 2018 to 2027.

The rights were awarded in early 2018 after the annulment of GolTV’s previous deal and an initial vote that awarded the rights to rival DirecTV. GolTV’s deal is worth a minimum guarantee of $314m (€286m) over 10 years.