Spanish public broadcaster TVE has agreed a one-season deal for five women’s teams in the top tier Primera Iberdrola league.
The contract covers the 2020-21 campaign and allows TVE to broadcast the matches of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Madrid CFF, Athletic Club and CD Santa Teresa de Badajoz.
TVE will broadcast a total of 20 matches from the coming season between those five clubs and cover linear, digital and radio rights. TVE will exploit these on its Teledeporte channel, RTVE Digital streaming platform and +TDP radio station.
TVE will also broadcast highlights from all Primera Iberdrola and second-tier Reto Iberdrola matches as part of the deal.
The deal was agreed with the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). The rights to the remaining 11 Primera Iberdrola clubs are held by the Mediapro agency, which is paying €3m ($3.5m) per season for the rights in the 2019-22 cycle.
The 2019-20 season was blighted by disagreements between the RFEF and Mediapro as the duo disputed the ownership of the rights, while strike action was taken by the league’s players over the level of pay received.
The RFEF and Mediapro pledged €1.5m and €1.15m, respectively, to boost player salaries and break the strike deadlock. Within the RFEF’s offer, however, was a stipulation that the rights to all 16 teams would be sold collectively by it from the 2022-23 season which was accepted.