Bidding war for Real Madrid television rights

The television rights to Spanish Primera Liga Real Madrid are at the front of a bidding war between Rupert Murdoch, pay-operater Sogecable, free-to-air network Telemadrid and the Media Pro agency.

The club said it would sign a new contract that would guarantee it EUR 800 million over seven seasons.

Sogecable, an Audiovisual Sport company, which also holds the rights for most of the Primera Liga and second division clubs, currently owns the broadcast rights . Sogecable pays EUR 55 million a year in a deal that runs until 2008 but has the option to extend it for another year by paying EUR 60 million.

Publicly run regional television station Telemadrid said it would bid for Real's television rights, with backing from bank Caja Madrid.

Spanish sports daily AS reported that at the beginning of the 2008-9 season Telemadrid offered an average of EUR 115 million per year, starting at EUR 75 million the first season and progressing to 125 million euros.

Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved.