LaLiga is set to wrap up its domestic sales process for the next cycle of centralised rights for Spanish football’s top division and Copa del Rey knockout tournament by early December, according to the Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y La Competencia.
The CNMC, the country’s competition regulator, has released a report into LaLiga’s proposed model of centralised marketing for the rights over three seasons, from 2016-17 to 2018-19.
The regulator highlighted several points and “objections” with regard to the proposed rights sales process.
It also said that the “original deadline” for the rights to be awarded would be December 4. The watchdog added that LaLiga could extend the deadline, btu that LaLiga must reserve the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey for free-to-air television.
The CNMC also asked LaLiga to modify the wording of the tender documents and added that the organisation should seek “more optimal solutions to prevent the hoarding of exclusive rights”.
The report is non-binding, but the regulator reserves the right to act “if it detects signs that competition rules are being violated”.