Jack Fulham
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Barcelona and Real Madrid currently receive 41% of Spain's TV revenue. Some suggest the rest find another league to play in, but it might be the big two that are kicked out...
As a way of reforging friendships in the Spanish camp after the latest Barcelona-Real Madrid festival of feuding, Friday night's approach was a novel yet effective tactic that also happened to involve fisticuffs. Rather than two Spanish tribes going to war once again, the Barça and Madrid footballers fought side-by-side in the final seconds of Friday's stormy 3-2 win over Chile in a big old scrap with their South American opposition.
Physical violence probably won't be enough to heal the enormous divisions that currently exist in la Liga, with warring factions being formed who possess very different visions of the state of the Spanish game. 6-0 and 5-0 victories for Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively and the sight of both teams occupying the top places in la Primera after just one round have reignited a heated debate over what needs to be done to make la Liga more competitive.
A camp lead by Sevilla and Villarreal have been increasingly vocal in opposing the current model which affords Barça and Madrid an enormous financial advantage over the other 18 teams when it comes to the share of TV revenue. This rebellion began last season when a group of seven clubs refused to agree to the terms of a new television agreement due to start in 2014 which saw the big two marginally decreasing their share of the money but still getting an increased amount due to the greater size of the pot.
Barcelona and Real Madrid currently share 41% of the €657.5m deal which gives both clubs a staggering €135m each. Third-placed Valencia get €48m whilst ten clubs are awarded sums varying between €13m and €16m. Two of the new teams in la Primera this season, Rayo Vallecano and Granada, will receive ten times less TV income that Madrid and Barcelona.
Sevilla, who get €104m a year less than the top two, are lead by their club president, José María del Nido, a figure whose criticism of the carve-up has been the most strident. Del Nido cranked up the rhetoric this week by declaring that la Liga "wasn't just the biggest pile of **** in Europe but the world," and that "we are not ruling out taking drastic measures and having boycotts."
Del Nido was joined by Villarreal's owner, Fernando Roig, who claimed that the Spanish League and the TV companies were "killing the game." Roig had extra reason to be upset as his club, who receive €107m a year less than Barcelona, had been forced to sell Santi Cazorla to Málaga to balance the books rather than going into administration. This particular process allows a club to carry on functioning and signing players whilst continuing not to pay its debts - a path that Zaragoza have taken, to much opposition from more ethical Primera clubs who feel that - for want of a better expression - the club is completely taking the ****.
The Spanish League (LFP) does have the power to intervene and influence the way the game is run but there is the perception amongst the rebel clubs that the organisation is merely concerned with the interests of Real Madrid and Barcelona with the rest of la Liga largely being ignored. "The league is a big joke because of an LFP that's only looking for profits and income and has no interest in improving the competition," wrote Roberto Gómez in Marca.
The LFP is also facing opposition from the league's unpaid footballers who recently went on strike over the issue citing a lack of financial support from the organisation and Spain's radio stations who are currently locked out of grounds over an argument over rights.
The immediate forecast for la Primera this season is a gloomy one. Barcelona and Real Madrid are stronger than ever with some expecting both sides to remain unbeaten in 36 of their 38 respective league games. Indeed, this process could well be helped by clubs simply writing off their matches against the pair and fielding reserve teams. "There are some teams that are already doing it," said Sevilla manager and former Racing and Zaragoza boss, Marcelino. "When you are playing at home there is the chance to get a positive result, a small chance but it exists. When you are traveling away, especially at Barcelona it's almost impossible."
The remedy proposed by Del Nido and Roig is a TV income model based on England's or the Bundesliga which sees equal payments, but with some added extras to acknowledge the fact that Barça and Real Madrid are huge money spinners for la Liga when it comes to international profile and sponsorship. The approach is a little more constructive than that of Sergio Ramos, who suggested that Sevilla "find another league to play in."
Although this recommendation was largely made in jest because the Real Madrid defender can't stand his former club president, it's an idea that in three to four years time that won't seem so fanciful. But instead of Sevilla having to find some new friends to play with, it could be Barça and Madrid being told to find a different league as the divisions in the Spanish game widen both on and off the pitch.
Tim Stannard
Are Barça & Real 'Killing The Game' In Spain? | Mediawatch, Mailbox, Ref365, John Nicholson, Spanish Thing | Football365
As a way of reforging friendships in the Spanish camp after the latest Barcelona-Real Madrid festival of feuding, Friday night's approach was a novel yet effective tactic that also happened to involve fisticuffs. Rather than two Spanish tribes going to war once again, the Barça and Madrid footballers fought side-by-side in the final seconds of Friday's stormy 3-2 win over Chile in a big old scrap with their South American opposition.
Physical violence probably won't be enough to heal the enormous divisions that currently exist in la Liga, with warring factions being formed who possess very different visions of the state of the Spanish game. 6-0 and 5-0 victories for Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively and the sight of both teams occupying the top places in la Primera after just one round have reignited a heated debate over what needs to be done to make la Liga more competitive.
A camp lead by Sevilla and Villarreal have been increasingly vocal in opposing the current model which affords Barça and Madrid an enormous financial advantage over the other 18 teams when it comes to the share of TV revenue. This rebellion began last season when a group of seven clubs refused to agree to the terms of a new television agreement due to start in 2014 which saw the big two marginally decreasing their share of the money but still getting an increased amount due to the greater size of the pot.
Barcelona and Real Madrid currently share 41% of the €657.5m deal which gives both clubs a staggering €135m each. Third-placed Valencia get €48m whilst ten clubs are awarded sums varying between €13m and €16m. Two of the new teams in la Primera this season, Rayo Vallecano and Granada, will receive ten times less TV income that Madrid and Barcelona.
Sevilla, who get €104m a year less than the top two, are lead by their club president, José María del Nido, a figure whose criticism of the carve-up has been the most strident. Del Nido cranked up the rhetoric this week by declaring that la Liga "wasn't just the biggest pile of **** in Europe but the world," and that "we are not ruling out taking drastic measures and having boycotts."
Del Nido was joined by Villarreal's owner, Fernando Roig, who claimed that the Spanish League and the TV companies were "killing the game." Roig had extra reason to be upset as his club, who receive €107m a year less than Barcelona, had been forced to sell Santi Cazorla to Málaga to balance the books rather than going into administration. This particular process allows a club to carry on functioning and signing players whilst continuing not to pay its debts - a path that Zaragoza have taken, to much opposition from more ethical Primera clubs who feel that - for want of a better expression - the club is completely taking the ****.
The Spanish League (LFP) does have the power to intervene and influence the way the game is run but there is the perception amongst the rebel clubs that the organisation is merely concerned with the interests of Real Madrid and Barcelona with the rest of la Liga largely being ignored. "The league is a big joke because of an LFP that's only looking for profits and income and has no interest in improving the competition," wrote Roberto Gómez in Marca.
The LFP is also facing opposition from the league's unpaid footballers who recently went on strike over the issue citing a lack of financial support from the organisation and Spain's radio stations who are currently locked out of grounds over an argument over rights.
The immediate forecast for la Primera this season is a gloomy one. Barcelona and Real Madrid are stronger than ever with some expecting both sides to remain unbeaten in 36 of their 38 respective league games. Indeed, this process could well be helped by clubs simply writing off their matches against the pair and fielding reserve teams. "There are some teams that are already doing it," said Sevilla manager and former Racing and Zaragoza boss, Marcelino. "When you are playing at home there is the chance to get a positive result, a small chance but it exists. When you are traveling away, especially at Barcelona it's almost impossible."
The remedy proposed by Del Nido and Roig is a TV income model based on England's or the Bundesliga which sees equal payments, but with some added extras to acknowledge the fact that Barça and Real Madrid are huge money spinners for la Liga when it comes to international profile and sponsorship. The approach is a little more constructive than that of Sergio Ramos, who suggested that Sevilla "find another league to play in."
Although this recommendation was largely made in jest because the Real Madrid defender can't stand his former club president, it's an idea that in three to four years time that won't seem so fanciful. But instead of Sevilla having to find some new friends to play with, it could be Barça and Madrid being told to find a different league as the divisions in the Spanish game widen both on and off the pitch.
Tim Stannard
Are Barça & Real 'Killing The Game' In Spain? | Mediawatch, Mailbox, Ref365, John Nicholson, Spanish Thing | Football365
