April 27 – LaLiga has expanded its sponsorship portfolio in Nigeria, a key African market for the English Premier League, with the signing of another regional sponsor, multi-national beverage company AJEAST Nigeria, the makers of Big Cola.
April 23 – LaLiga has released record revenue figures for 2016-17 showing the Spanish league generating €3.662 billion, a 15.6% increase of €495 million on the previous season. LaLiga is moving aggressively in international markets and domestically to build the value of its commercial rights, vocally targeting the Premier League and its dominant international position, particularly as regards broadcast revenue.
March 22 – The crackdown by Spanish authorities to prevent elite footballers getting even richer by beating the tax system has struck again, with former Liverpool and Real Madrid star Xabi Alonso facing a possible five-year jail term after being accused of fraud.
21 March – LaLiga has expanded its regional sponsorship coverage with telecoms giant MTN Group into Africa. MTN Ivory Coast joins the company’s Iranian subsidiary MTN Irancell as a regional sponsor of the Spanish league.
By Paul Nicholson
February 26 – The first weekend of football in Spain’s leagues after the dramatic arrests of 32 suspected matchfixers last week has seen a welcome return to normality in the Spanish football betting markets. LaLiga head of integrity Alfredo Lorenzo, said that the “from the intelligence we have on Segunda B and the Third Division, it is completely flat.”
February 8 – LaLiga’s Integrity and Security director Alfredo Lorenzo Mena has confirmed he will be speaking at the Tackling Matchfixing conference in London, March 9-10. He will join a panel examining what Europe’s biggest leagues are doing to combat and defend themselves against match fixers.
January 5 – LaLiga has released details of its broadcast income and its club distribution. TV income rose year-on-year to in €1.247 billion from 1.237 billion, with Barcelona being the top club earner with €146.2 million.
December 13 – LaLiga has added Iranian telecommunications company Irancell as a new regional partner. Irancell has more than 230 million customers in 22 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
September 12 – The Premier League’s 39th game proposal rapidly became a non-starter when it received a barrage of criticism when mooted in 2012. Although ruled out again this Summer by CEO Richard Scudamore, clubs are not cold on the idea of playing league games overseas. But it could be the LaLiga that is first to break the traditional boundaries.
By Andrew Warshaw at Soccerex, Manchester
September 6 – Controversial Spanish league boss Javier Tebas says he will continue to speak out until the likes of Paris St Germain and Manchester City are properly held to account by UEFA for what he terms “financial doping.”
August 29 – LaLiga’s Espanyol has agreed a six-year main sponsorship deal with Mexico’s Riviera Maya tourist destination. The deal, estimated to be worth €12 million, will begin in January 2018 running through to 2023.
By Paul Nicholson
August 24 – Manchester City owner City Football Group (CFG) has bought a 44.3% stake in LaLiga club Girona alongside Pere Guardiola, brother of Man City manager Pep, who will also own 44.3%. No value was put on the acquisition.
August 21 – Spain’s LaLiga has signed a three-year regional partnership with mobile telecoms operator Zain Sudan.
December 1 – Spain’s LaLiga has added another new global sponsor. Although no amount was announced for the deal, La Liga said it now expected to earn €70 million from sponsorship this year, more than double its annual sales of previous years.
November 4 – LaLiga has announced a three year sponsorship with the Hacienda y Viñedos Marques del Atrio winery that sees the Marques del Atrio brand as the league’s official wine partner across its three divisions.