Liga BBVA: LaLiga prohibits access to stadiums to Mediaset España to film match highlights

"LaLiga has prevented Telecinco and Cuatro cameras from entering stadiums to film footage for match highlights," was the message broadcast by the private free-TV channels of the Mediaset España group during the opening weekend of the of the 2015-16 Liga BBVA season, from 21 to 24/08/2015.

The Spanish professional football league said this action was in the interests of the copyright holder, i.e. the public broadcaster RTVE. LaLiga had indeed attributed the exclusive domestic broadcast rights for match highlights of the 2015-16 Liga BBVA and Copa del Rey to RTVE, for an estimated amount of €12m, on 29/07/2015. LaLiga does nevertheless allow other free-TV broadcasters free access in order to film highlight footage that does not exceed 90 seconds on each matchday of the championship, provided they sign an agreement to that effect.

Mediaset España refused to sign the agreement with LaLiga on the grounds that "giving exclusivity of LaLiga's highlights to RTVE limits the right to information for the other networks and promotes public television, which has managed to present the highest…