Tender process launched for carriage of beIN Sports LaLiga

The Mediapro agency has launched a tender process for Spanish pay-television operators interested in carrying beIN Sports LaLiga, the new channel set to be launched by the pay-television broadcaster to exploit its rights to the top division of Spanish football.

BeIN Sports LaLiga will become the broadcaster’s second channel in Spain after it secured the main package of domestic rights for LaLiga earlier this month, dislodging telecommunications company Telefónica as the main rights-holder for domestic club football in the country.

Through Mediaproducción, beIN Sports acquired package six, which included eight LaLiga games per match day, with one of those matches featuring either Real Madrid or Barcelona. The package also included one ‘Clasico’ match between Real Madrid and Barcelona each season plus “pay-per-view” rights for the Copa del Rey knockout tournament, according to beIN Sports.

The deal is worth €1.9bn ($2bn) over three seasons, from 2016-17 to 2018-19, LaLiga said. Local law mandated that only a Spanish company could acquire the rights.

Mediapro is now calling for offers from all Spanish pay-television operators to carry beIN Sports LaLiga across the three seasons. Bids will be accepted up to January 11.

Mediapro said in a statement: “BeIN Sports is looking, as always, to distribute their content through the largest possible number of windows and at the lowest possible cost to the subscriber.”