Spain’s LaLiga has put free-to-air TV rights to tender in the UK and Ireland in what could be a rare win for the terrestrial television sector.
Two packages have been put on offer, with one being a pay-TV package and the other FTA. The pay-TV package will offer exclusive access to all LaLiga matches and the FTA one will cover Sunday evening 8pm fixtures.
ITV is the current FTA rightsholder for LaLiga in the UK, having secured a three season deal back in 2022 covering the 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons, with 10 fixtures broadcast per year.
The company is a likely contender to secure a renewal of the rights package, with it already being a prominent sports broadcaster in the UK with coverage of the Champions League, FA Cup, FIFA World Cup and Six Nations rugby, among others.
Commenting at the time of the 2022 deal, the outlet’s Director of Sport, Nial Sloane, remarked that the deal ‘ensures free-to-air coverage for all football fans of one of the most entertaining leagues in the world’.
ITV will be keen to hang on to this, with LaLiga, as Sloane pointed out, one of the world’s most popular leagues and home to widely followed teams like Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Other potential contenders could include the BBC, Channel 4 and Channel 5, if these outlets opt to submit a bid. The BBC is a notable sports broadcaster, often sharing events like the FA Cup and World Cup with ITV, while Channel 4’s coverage has been more limited to the likes of Formula One and horse racing.
The visibility of sports on terrestrial TV has been slipping in recent years, however, with even the FA Cup heading to pay-TV via a deal with TNT Sports last year, though the BBC has retained 14 matches.
