Media rights: Arsenal FC and SPFL break their contracts with MP & Silva due to lack of payment

The SPFL (Scottish Professional Football League) and Arsenal FC (Premier League) have broken their media rights contracts, due to lack of payment, with MP & Silva, the UK marketing and media rights agency, on 13 and 17/08/2018 respectively.

"A ten season deal with MP & Silva is being terminated after the rights holder defaulted on a number of payments due to the SPFL, and to other leagues around the world. The termination of the present agency contact, which was signed in 2013, will have no material impact on the record-breaking club fees paid and expected to be paid for season 2017-18," stated the Scottish League, which had signed a contract until the season 2021-22) with the agency, for the distribution of its international rights, in 2013.

Arsenal was under agreement through the 2018-19 season with the UK agency for its international media rights (games broadcast on delay, and other TV programming).

• The Chinese investment fund Everbright Securities acquired 65% of the shares of MP & Silva in May 2016.