Spanish media production company Mediapro has extended for another year its broadcast rights deal with current La Liga and European champions FC Barcelona.

The extension, which takes the contract to the end of the 2014/15 season, is worth an additional sum on top of the existing deal, increasing the fee paid by Mediapro to around €160 million (US$219 million) per season.

Under the terms of the deal, Mediapro retains the rights to all of Barcelona’s league and cup matches, as well as friendlies, and also takes control of the club’s television channel, Barca TV, until June 2015.

The sale of broadcast rights has been the topic of much discussion of late. Spain’s La Liga is the only major European competition where clubs sell their rights individually, however the growing gap between Barcelona and Real Madrid and the rest of the teams has led to calls for a shared broadcast rights deal similar to that of other leagues, such as the English Premier League.

Meanwhile though, English side Liverpool’s managing director Ian Ayre said the club is interested in negotiating its own overseas television rights deal in order to reduce the risk of being left behind by the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Source: sportspromedia.com

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