Barcelona have confirmed a one-year broadcast rights deal with Telefónica for the 2015/16 season, reports, www.sportspromedia.com/. Telefónica will replace Mediapro as the club's broadcast partner following what FC Barcelona called 'a long period of contact and negotiations with operators from all over the world'.
The deal is believed to be worth US$159 million to the club. The duration is linked to the plan for Spain's top clubs to sell broadcast rights collectively from the 2016/17 season. That process, however, has still yet to be confirmed, with the Spanish government yet to introduce a law that would allow collective negotiation.
While Mediapro will retain the rights to broadcast matches from the largest group of La Liga teams next season, the FC Barcelona deal is the latest indication of Telefónica's growing influence in the Spanish sports rights market.
In January the telecommunications giant agreed deals with two other La Liga teams, Celta Vigo and Real Sociedad, for next season.
Telefónica will also take over the running of the FC Barcelona's Barça TV operation and has agreed a regional partnership for the next three years in Latin America and Mexico, where the company will market its Movistar and Vivo brands.
