Spanish basketball league to renew with TVE

Spanish public-service broadcaster TVE has reportedly renewed its rights deal for the Spanish basketball league, the ACB for the 2012-13 season onwards.

TVE will pay a fixed fee of €1 million ($1.3 million) per year, and will also pay the league between €2 million and €2.5 million per year in advertising revenues, the Encestando website reports.

The league will receive greater exposure than under its previous deal, with Sunday matches being shown on the main TVE channel, rather than digital terrestrial sports channel Teledeporte as in the current deal.

The league receives around €7 million a year for its domestic rights from TVE and regional channels under the current deal, which expires in June.

A deal with TVE had looked unlikely following comments from the broadcaster’s acting president Josep Manel Silva in March, saying: “We cannot renew it. I have spoken to [ACB director general] Beto Agustí. We have no money.”