Uruguayan FA urges Tenfield to meet TV rights payment

The Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) has urged the Tenfield agency to meet its latest payment after it failed to make a deadline of April 30 to settle the latest instalment for broadcast rights to domestic club competitions.

Tenfield was due to make a payment of $308,000 (€285,000/$306,500) but has made no indication it will pay, according to local newspaper El Observador. From April 30, Tenfield is said to have 15 working days to make the payment.

A larger instalment of $2.6m is due on June 30.

Tenfield is the long-term holder of Uruguayan club rights and its current agreement runs until 2025. Ahead of its deal to extend its rights to 2021, it was agreed that the contract would be paid in Uruguayan pesos as clubs feared a drop in the value of the US dollar.

Tenfield is said to be in a compromised position as it is not receiving income from cable television operators that have suspended subscription charges for the football package due to the lockdown of the domestic game amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, it is reported that leading clubs Peñarol and Nacional are still waiting for Tenfield to pay them for merchandising rights, having failed to do so since January. The amount due to each team is reported to be $100,000 per month.

The 2020 Primera División season commenced on February 15, but was suspended on March 13, along with all other AUF tournaments.

The AUF must reportedly guarantee a minimum of 240 games in the season. It is said this could be met if the season resumes in August or September.