Real Madrid’s Decision On $136-Million TV Rights

The conflict between Real Madrid and LaLiga continues and one of the hottest topics of dispute between the two clubs is regarding the access provided to television cameras on a match day.

It comes after Real Madrid opted to turn down a chance to take their share of LaLiga’s incentive package worth €120 million ($137 million). The compensation was to be shared out across LaLiga’s 42 clubs in exchange for the right to provide access to additional media opportunities, including pre-match locker room footage, half-time interviews with players and additional post-match coverage from broadcasters.

Real Madrid declined, making them the only LaLiga side to do so, and refused to accept the added payment. José Ángel Sánchez was the club’s representative to vote against the measure, which included two abstentions and 17 votes in favor when it went to vote in August.

Much of the reasoning behind that is believed to be linked to Real Madrid’s increased efforts to create their own content. Following FC Barcelona’s decision to shut down their club-owned TV channel, Real Madrid TV is now the station of its kind, and the club are continuing to push deals with the likes of Apple
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TV for exclusive access.

In fact, The Athletic even claimed that the club could be pursuing a sponsorship agreement with Apple following the visit of the company’s CEO, Tim Cook, to the team’s training base in Valdebebas.

Ancelotti’s opposition to increased TV access

It is not just off the field that there has been opposition to LaLiga’s increased coverage. One of the most vocal opponents has been Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti. The Italian veteran has coached across Europe’s top five leagues in England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, and has made his views clear.

“For me the dressing room is sacred, putting a camera in there before a game doesn’t make any sense,” Ancelotti had explained in one press conference. Asked about it again following a 3-1 victory over Almería, he said, “the camera can’t come in because we have the right to refuse it. If they have to come in, I would prefer to accept a pay cut for it not to come in.”

He has not been the only opponent either. “Not everything is worth money, money is very good, but we have to prioritize other things,” Mallorca coach Javier Aguirre said.

Players have also spoken out, with Spain’s first-choice goalkeeper explaining his experience with Athletic Club, saying, “before a match, everyone has their rituals, their concentration, the people you feel comfortable with. And you see that there are cameras recording how you put on your shin pads, which saint you pray to or how you tie your shoelaces, and in the end we players have certain habits that you don’t want to show.”

The Basque side were criticized in some parts as it emerged that the team huddled together in the locker room of San Mamés to pray before their first match of the season, ironically against Real Madrid.

Legal case rules in Real Madrid’s favor

Real Madrid attempted to ditch the measures entirely by taking LaLiga to court over the new guidelines. Los Blancos claimed that they had been unfairly treated given their status as a minority of one as the only club to vote against the new television coverage.

“Discrepancies between minority and majority positions are not only a very frequent occurrence in practice, but this “game of majorities” cannot inevitably be assimilated to the notions of abuse, profit, harm and absence of social benefit,” the club claimed in court.

Courts have so far ruled in favor of the club, but appeals processes are continuing with the case set to extend for months and last well beyond the length of this season. With that in mind, LaLiga president Javier Texas continues to persist with his strategy.

“On the pitch you can do things, at halftime, identically to how it was done before no, but you can do things,” Tebas reflected. “It is a matter of LaLiga with Real Madrid and LaLiga clubs. We wanted to improve the product even more.”

However, he seems to be keen to still find a way to pursue his initial goal of providing access, as he said, “now all of a sudden, Madrid, with a sentence that is not final and that should not be interpreted as Real Madrid is interpreting it, has taken this decision by the middle road. It has cost me a lawsuit in the National Court, which has been appealed. It is not pleasant, but you cannot subjugate yourself to Florentino. We hope to give you another service.”

The battle is set to continue for some time yet, with neither LaLiga nor Real Madrid giving in. The initial furore among coaches and players has died down, but Florentino Pérez and company are standing firm in their stance.