A Madrid court has ordered Mediapro should pay €97 million in a breach of contract dispute with rival Audiovisual Sport (AVS) over the live rights to top flight Spanish football.
The ruling means Mediapro must now give up the rights to first and second division matches to its Sogecable-owned rival.
AVS, in which regional broadcaster Televisión de Cataluña also owns 20%, had sought to recognize the validity of a contract signed by AVS, Mediapro, Sogecable and Televisión de Cataluña in July 2006. It sought to maintain the continuity of football coverage, the absence of which has hit PPV revenues on Sogecable’s Digital+ platform.
The damages cover the period from the start of the 2006/07 season through until February 2008. Mediapro must also pay legal costs including those from a counterclaim brought during the dispute.
It is expected Mediapro will appeal, potentially stretching out the dispute for another two years.
