Real Madrid Refuses to Install Cameras in Dressing Rooms, Resulting in Loss of 13 Million Euros: La Liga Broadcast Initiatives

Real Madrid Refuses to Install Cameras in Dressing Rooms, Resulting in Financial Loss

Real Madrid has declined to install cameras in their team’s dressing rooms, despite being offered payment for it. This decision comes as La Liga introduces new broadcast features, including cameras in the dressing room, face-to-face interviews with coaches, and additional cameras and microphones for interviews with players and staff.

While other La Liga clubs have embraced these changes, Real Madrid’s refusal means that they will lose out on 13 million euros. The team has decided to boycott all interactions with rights holders, boycotting informal pre-match conversations and media duties.

Goal of Enhancing Viewer Experience and Increasing Broadcast Revenue

The implementation of these features aims to make the Spanish league more immersive for viewers and potentially increase the money paid for broadcasting rights in the future. To encourage clubs to participate, a significant portion of the total La Liga broadcast revenue for the 2023-2024 season will be divided based on their involvement in these new “voluntary” broadcast additions.

Real Madrid’s Protest and the Ongoing Conflict with La Liga

The absence of cameras in the Real Madrid dressing room during recent matches, as well as their refusal to engage with rights holders, is a clear demonstration of the team’s opposition to the new approach. This protest is seen as another battle in the longstanding conflict between Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez and La Liga president Javier Tebas.

Since Tebas assumed the presidency of La Liga in 2013, he has implemented collective television rights sales, which have benefited the league as a whole. However, Real Madrid has felt disadvantaged by not being able to sell their matches individually as they previously did. The club has filed numerous lawsuits against La Liga’s actions over the past decade, but the referees have consistently favored the league’s decisions.

It remains to be seen if Real Madrid will change their stance in future matches, starting with the game against Almeria next Saturday.

Source: “Wakalat”