Liga looks to increase revenue

Brussels, Nov. 29: La Liga, which runs the top two divisions of Spanish soccer, believes it can close the gap in revenues between it and the English Premier League in the next 10 years with an ambitious plan to expand its international audience.

Javier Tebas, La Liga’s president, said the Premier League earned about 40 percent more that the Spanish league, which draws in some 1.7 billion euros ($ 2 billion) a year in television rights.

“I have no doubt that within 10 years we will practically be equal to the Premier League or at least within 10 percent,” he said at the opening of a La Liga office in Brussels.

The main difference for now was that the British market itself was bigger than Spain’s.

“On an international level there is less of a difference, but that’s our main objective — to get closer to the Premier League,” Tebas said late on Tuesday

La Liga, which already dominates in Latin America, has now set its sights on gaining ground in key markets China, India and the United States, with another eye focused on Africa.

In the past four years, it has set up offices in Shanghai, Delhi, New York, Johannesburg and Dubai and had representatives in over 40 countries.

● La Liga has now set its sights on gaining ground in key markets China, India and the United States, with another eye focused on Africa