Mediaset bags domestic Copa del Rey rights

Mediaset has landed the domestic rights for Spain’s Copa del Rey through to 2021/2022.

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), which confirmed the deal on Monday, said that the deal “represents the best results ever in the commercialisation of the television rights of the Copa del Rey”.

Mediaset is paying €26.7 million per season for the exclusive domestic rights to the competition. This is significantly less than the €45 million figure that the RFEF initially wanted for the rights, though the body said that it is confident of surpassing a total of €100 million for the period once rights to the competition are sold across Europe and the rest of the world. 

Though the figure is less than what the RFEF wanted, it is still significantly more than the €5.67 million per season that Mediapro paid during the 2016-19 period. This was also the first time that the competition’s broadcasts were being handled by the national football body, rather than La Liga. 

Mediapro did launch a bid for the new cycle, but walked away when the asking price was revealed. The broadcaster claimed it offered €18 million before ditching the bid and put out a statement describing the asking price as “absolutely exorbitant and out of the market.”

Mediaset had earlier submitted an offer prior to the initial deadline, while Telefónica and RTVE also submitted a joint offer but neither topped €13 million.

It was previously reported that Mediaset would team with sports streamer DAZN for a joint bid, but the RFEF’s announcement makes no mention of the company.

The news should prove a boost for Mediaset, which is currently seeking conciliation with Vivendi in order to secure an agreement over the former’s plans to create a Netherlands-based pan-European broadcast organisation called MediaForEurope.

The Court of Milan has postponed a hearing on the dispute to November 22 in order to allow the parties to assess the situation. 

According to Reuters, Vivendi has asked for guarantees on how the new company’s statute will be applied in practice. Vivendi also wants to keep separate a legal battle over Mediaset Premium, the pay TV arm it was contracted to acquire in 2016 but withdrew from, setting the stage for the last three years of confrontation between the two companies.