About time. I wonder if Malaga were at this meeting though, they have the financial clout to fight the duopoly.
La Liga would probably be the best league in the world if it was more competitive, rather than having the two best teams in Europe then a large gap to Valencia and company. If even two teams besides Barca and Real could challenge for La Liga, the league would be thrilling.
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The penny has finally dropped. In fact it’s the whole 280million euros worth paid annually to Real Madrid and Barcelona that’s fallen.
The 18 ‘other’ clubs in Spain have realized that in every other major league in Europe TV deals are collectively negotiated and more or less evenly shared.
In England last season Manchester United made around £60m from television while bottom club West Ham made around £40m. In Spain Real Madrid and Barcelona picked up 140m euros each while the stragglers pocketed 12m euros.
Sevilla president Jose Maria Del Nido called an emergency meeting on Thursday and spoke of a footballing ‘French revolution’ only to emerge from the four-hour meeting and tell waiting media: ‘We’re going to have another meeting’.
It was underwhelming but nobody said it was going to be easy, especially as many clubs signed their individual TV deals just a few months ago.
'There is no going back now,' added Del Nido defiantly and there are measures in place if negotiations over the coming months don’t work.
One rebel president has suggested clubs play their youth sides against Madrid and Barca if the big two don’t agree to negotiate the next TV deal with the other 18 clubs.
If all 18 teams did that, especially with head-to-head goal-difference in Spain, Madrid and Barca’s campaigns would be reduced to two-games-a-season affairs. All their other fixtures would be completely irrelevant – try selling that to a global TV audience.
Forging unity will be the key. Some have more to gain than others by blocking change. Tiny Madrid-based Getafe earn 18m euros – as much as the grand old institution Athletic Bilbao – they were predictably not at the meeting.
'We are 18 against two,' said Villarreal president Fernando Roig and the first hurdle is making that statement a reality with everyone turning up to the next meeting in three weeks time.
Once united, the clubs need to believe they can take Madrid and Barcelona on. They will float the idea of a European Super League to scare the rest but that remains a pipe dream. The culture of actually going to matches is too strong in other European countries.
Manchester United fans won’t give up going to watch their side all over England for a handful of glamour fixtures at home and the prospect of having to fly abroad to see their team away.
Madrid and Barcelona are stuck in La Liga and if every team in the league really did field their youth teams it would also massively reduce their competitive edge in the Champions League.
They are right to argue that they would finish first and second regardless. This is a freakishly brilliant Barcelona side and Real Madrid have their best manager and squad in recent memory.
Spain cannot simply copy England – 80,000 people watch Real Madrid while down the road 5,000 watch Getafe and 100 of them are stood on a nearby hill not paying to get in. The gap between support bases is greater – but not 128m euros greater.
Change will be slow but it will come – the threat of an exodus of top players from second-tier clubs will ensure that.
New Chelsea signing Juan Mata said of his old club this week: 'Valencia are fighting for third. When there are only two teams in the race come January what hope is there?'
He left for the same reason Sergio Aguero left Atletico Madrid – he wanted to compete for honours.
La Liga is still full of quality. This weekend Villarreal face Sevilla and Valencia play Atletico Madrid. Players such as Giuseppe Rossi, Alvaro Negredo, Roberto Soldado and Radamel Falcao will all be on display – stars that would grace any league in the world.
Spain just needs to push-on with the shake-up so that they stay gracing La Liga and don’t leave the kids to take on Barca and Madrid.
La Liga would probably be the best league in the world if it was more competitive, rather than having the two best teams in Europe then a large gap to Valencia and company. If even two teams besides Barca and Real could challenge for La Liga, the league would be thrilling.
-
The penny has finally dropped. In fact it’s the whole 280million euros worth paid annually to Real Madrid and Barcelona that’s fallen.
The 18 ‘other’ clubs in Spain have realized that in every other major league in Europe TV deals are collectively negotiated and more or less evenly shared.
In England last season Manchester United made around £60m from television while bottom club West Ham made around £40m. In Spain Real Madrid and Barcelona picked up 140m euros each while the stragglers pocketed 12m euros.
Sevilla president Jose Maria Del Nido called an emergency meeting on Thursday and spoke of a footballing ‘French revolution’ only to emerge from the four-hour meeting and tell waiting media: ‘We’re going to have another meeting’.
It was underwhelming but nobody said it was going to be easy, especially as many clubs signed their individual TV deals just a few months ago.
'There is no going back now,' added Del Nido defiantly and there are measures in place if negotiations over the coming months don’t work.
One rebel president has suggested clubs play their youth sides against Madrid and Barca if the big two don’t agree to negotiate the next TV deal with the other 18 clubs.
If all 18 teams did that, especially with head-to-head goal-difference in Spain, Madrid and Barca’s campaigns would be reduced to two-games-a-season affairs. All their other fixtures would be completely irrelevant – try selling that to a global TV audience.
Forging unity will be the key. Some have more to gain than others by blocking change. Tiny Madrid-based Getafe earn 18m euros – as much as the grand old institution Athletic Bilbao – they were predictably not at the meeting.
'We are 18 against two,' said Villarreal president Fernando Roig and the first hurdle is making that statement a reality with everyone turning up to the next meeting in three weeks time.
Once united, the clubs need to believe they can take Madrid and Barcelona on. They will float the idea of a European Super League to scare the rest but that remains a pipe dream. The culture of actually going to matches is too strong in other European countries.
Manchester United fans won’t give up going to watch their side all over England for a handful of glamour fixtures at home and the prospect of having to fly abroad to see their team away.
Madrid and Barcelona are stuck in La Liga and if every team in the league really did field their youth teams it would also massively reduce their competitive edge in the Champions League.
They are right to argue that they would finish first and second regardless. This is a freakishly brilliant Barcelona side and Real Madrid have their best manager and squad in recent memory.
Spain cannot simply copy England – 80,000 people watch Real Madrid while down the road 5,000 watch Getafe and 100 of them are stood on a nearby hill not paying to get in. The gap between support bases is greater – but not 128m euros greater.
Change will be slow but it will come – the threat of an exodus of top players from second-tier clubs will ensure that.
New Chelsea signing Juan Mata said of his old club this week: 'Valencia are fighting for third. When there are only two teams in the race come January what hope is there?'
He left for the same reason Sergio Aguero left Atletico Madrid – he wanted to compete for honours.
La Liga is still full of quality. This weekend Villarreal face Sevilla and Valencia play Atletico Madrid. Players such as Giuseppe Rossi, Alvaro Negredo, Roberto Soldado and Radamel Falcao will all be on display – stars that would grace any league in the world.
Spain just needs to push-on with the shake-up so that they stay gracing La Liga and don’t leave the kids to take on Barca and Madrid.