Global sports provider Eleven Sports has secured live and exclusive rights to all matches from LaLiga Santander in the UK and Ireland.
The partnership will begin from the start of the 2018/19 season and will run for three years until the end of the 2020/21 season. Until now, Sky owned the rights to La Liga. Eleven Sports also holds LaLiga rights in Belgium and Poland.
Eleven Sports will announce details in the coming weeks about the innovative ways in which it will package and distribute the games which will bolster how live sport is currently delivered and give fans increased access and flexibility in their viewing options.
The Spanish league is one of the top domestic leagues in the world and features world famous clubs including FC Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, and global superstars such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Antoine Griezmann.
The last two LaLiga El Clasico’s (league matches between Barcelona and Real Madrid) were watched by a combined audience of more than 1 million fans in the UK proving there is clearly an appetite for Spanish football. Eleven will work closely with La Liga to help grow the league’s appeal and reach across the country.
“We are proud to build on our existing relationship with LaLiga, this time in the UK, one of the most passionate football countries in the world where Spanish football has significant appeal.” said Marc Watson, Executive Chairman and Group CEO, Eleven Sports.
“This is an incredibly exciting time for our young and dynamic company and we will announce soon how we will introduce innovative ways for dedicated fans to watch and engage in the live action. The way people, especially young people, watch live sport is changing and we always try to reflect that in the ways we make our product available. We are excited about the opportunities we have to do this in the UK and Ireland.”
“Eleven Sports are an excellent partner for us in various markets across Europe and we are delighted to have the opportunity to work with them in the UK and Ireland – important markets for us in which LaLiga is very popular,” said Javier Tebas, President, La Liga.
“We have worked very hard to promote the excellence of LaLiga in the UK and Ireland and we are confident that Eleven Sports will help us to grow and innovate our brand in the market for years to come.”
