Up until the completion of the 2028–29 season, the Dutch telecoms operator, Ziggo would continue to have official television rights to Spain’s LaLiga. The current arrangement between Ziggo and the Spanish top-flight has been prolonged for five additional seasons.
The broadcaster has taken this action to strengthen its portfolio of football rights while competing against the pay-per-view network, Viaplay. Additionally, Ziggo has the rights to the Ligue 1, Serie A, and UEFA Nations League.
LaLiga matches are broadcast by the telecom on both the pay-TV Ziggo Sport Totaal service and the basic-tier Ziggo Sport network.
LaLiga offered the rights in the Netherlands for three, four, or five seasons when it entered the market. However, adjustments to the anticipated sale of LaLiga television rights in the Netherlands were put in check by Spain’s regulatory commission in March (plus Italy, Malta and Portugal).
The Commission for National Markets and Competition (CNMC) expressed concern that the LaLiga marketing strategies did not entirely adhere to the necessities of the Royal Decree-Law 5/2015, which regulates the sale of centralized fundamental freedoms. That would also make it impossible to “guarantee a competitive, transparent, and non-discriminatory competitive bidding process,” hence putting a halt on the deal at that time.
In accordance with changes made to the Royal Decree, LaLiga was given permission in 2020 to sell upcoming broadcast rights in Europe for a duration longer than three seasons.
Since entering the Dutch economy, Viaplay had also acquired the rights to the English Premier League and Formula 1, two essential elements of Ziggo’s arsenal of sports rights.
LaLiga and the commercial broadcaster, Premier Sports agreed to a rights extension earlier this month for the UK and Ireland.