One of Europe’s top 5 leagues, La Liga has entered into an agreement with Viacom18, a joint media venture between Network 18 and ViacomCBS, for its broadcasting rights in India. The 3-year deal will see Viacom18’s youth brand MTV telecast the Spanish League in India.
As part of the agreement, the league will exclusively air on MTV in India, while being also available for live streaming on Voot and Jio platforms in the country. This broadcasting deal comes after social media giant Facebook refused to renew its agreement with the La Liga post the 2020-21 season. Sony Network, who in the past has already telecasted La Liga in India, was also in contention for bagging the TV rights.
Over the past few years, the football following in India has increased massively. The consumption of the game has been welcomed with open arms by the people, especially the youth. The Spanish League is home to football powerhouses like FC Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, amongst others. The amount of football talent on display in La Liga is immense and is, therefore, one of the most-watched leagues on the planet.
On the announcement of this partnership, Oscar Mayo, Executive Director, LaLiga said, “We are excited to partner with Viacom18 (MTV India) and further bolster the LaLiga fandom to an ever-growing football fan base in India. Having set one of the highest standards of football globally and India gaining tremendous momentum, we are confident that we will reach and engage with the youthful audience that MTV as a destination appeals to.”
This deal is a welcoming sight for football fans in India. A league as big as La Liga should always be telecasted and be accessible for its fans easily. They can take a reference from the PL, which has been the football base in the Indian television and media industry for more than a decade now. Therefore, this deal should give La Liga much-needed revenue and boost to compete in the ever-growing Indian market.
Sharing his thoughts about LaLiga on MTV, Anshul Ailawadi, Business Head – Youth, Music and English Entertainment said, “We at MTV have always known that football enjoys a groundswell of support amongst young-at-heart Indians. The LaLiga in particular is a cultural phenomenon all over the World. When the folks from RISE Worldwide introduced us to the LaLiga team, we realized that this was a partnership waiting to happen – the vision was common, the vibes were good, and we quickly put pen to paper.”