Mediapro, the Spain-based production group and media-rights agency, has reported a drop in annual revenues but a €2m ($2.23m) uplift in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda).
The group has announced Ebitda of €224m for 2019, up from €222m in 2018, as turnover fell from €1.97bn to €1.82bn.
Mediapro attributed the fall in turnover to “the effects of modifications in certain audiovisual rights contracts and the end of the contract to the rights to LaLiga in Spain”.
The company lost the main live domestic LaLiga rights package to telecoms operator Telefónica (from 2019-20 to 2021-22). Mediapro did acquire certain rights packages, however, including rights in pubs and bars. It also continues to work with LaLiga on its international rights sales.
Mediapro’s debt at the end of 2019 stood at €727m. The company was taken over by China’s Orient Hontai Capital in 2018.
In 2019, Mediapro kicked off its 10-year Canadian Premier League venture with the launch of the One Soccer OTT subscription channel in the North American country.
Announcing its results, Mediapro also flagged up the acquisition of international rights to Chile’s national football team and pay-television rights in Chile among its major developments in sport.
Mediapro also secured rights in France to 260 matches per season from the Uefa Europa League and Uefa Europa Conference League from 2021-22 to 2023-24. Mediapro is launching subscription channels in France this summer on the back of its €780m-per-season contract for eight Ligue 1 rights packages from 2020-21 to 2023-24. Rights to the second-tier Ligue 2 have also been secured over the same period.
Elsewhere, Mediapro increased its involvement in esports with the total integration of the Liga de Videojuegos Profesional (LVP), Spain’s leading esports league, into the group. Mediapro also handled the host broadcast of the 2019 Pan American Games from Peru, and Mediapro executives produced the Uefa Champions League, Europa League and Super Cup finals in 2019.