Canal+ Spain is to increase the number of football matches screened each season in a move that spells an end to football pay-per-view on the Digital+ DTH satellite service.
The 22 games shown by the Prisa-operated channel represents an increase of six on the 2010/11 season. The match of the week will be shown each Sunday at 20.00 CET with Malaga-Barcelona becoming the first game this Sunday. The broadcaster has exclusivity over Barcelona-Madrid matches.
The popularity of the pay-per-view service had already begun to fall following the launch of GolTV by Mediapro in September 2008.
Digital+ has also committed to the new Canal+ Liga 2 that will broadcast 5 Liga BBVA matches live every weekend.
Between them Canal+ Liga and Liga 2 will show 8 games each weekend from international leagues including the Bundesliga, the Dutch Eredivisie, and the Argentinan and Brazilian leagues.
Separately, Canal+ is to be made available via Movistar’s Imagenio from August 20.
