Facebook Live debuts first major league with 46 Liga MX games on Univision pages

February 15 – Mexico’s Liga MX will hit the Facebook Live platform with Univision this weekend at the start of a new broadcast deal that will see 46 matches, including playoff games, streamed live.

Football clubs and leagues have been testing the platform including Germany’s Bayern Munich having done their season launch press conferences on Facebook Live and Manchester United having broadcast Wayne Rooney’s testimonial match to 3.7 million people on the social media network.

The Liga MX deal is the first time one of the world’s big national leagues has joined the platform though the broadcasts will be geo-blocked for the US only. Commentary will be in the English language and will run on the Univision Deportes Facebook Page and one Facebook’s Video tab.

“We’re thrilled Univision is bringing Liga MX matches to Facebook,” said Dan Reed, Facebook Head of Global Sports Partnerships. “The move enables Facebook’s passionate community of soccer fans to watch, share, talk about and react to one of the sport’s most exciting leagues – all in one location.

“We are also committed to supporting Univision Deportes as it explores innovative ways to complement its television broadcasts. By delivering unique broadcasts via Facebook Live, Univision Deportes is able to further reach new audiences in a truly interactive and social manner.”

Liga MX recorded higher average crowds than any league outside of Europe last season with 26,500 per game. Monterrey averaged 48,392 a match with attendance rates of close to 80% for most of the big clubs. With some clubs charging as little as 50 pesos (£2) for admission the league is expecting these figures to grow.

The addition of Facebook broadcasts in the US will grow both the league accessibility to Mexican Americans as well as open up Univision’s commercial opportunities.

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