Exclusive: Al Jazeera Sports Network Wins La Liga US TV Rights, Says Source
EXCLUSIVE: Al Jazeera Sports Network has won the US TV rights to La Liga, beginning with the 2012-13 season, according to a source.
The shocking news means that GolTV’s flagship league will no longer be shown on the Miami-based network. Al Jazeera Sports Network’s acquisition of La Liga rights comes hot on the heels of similar acquisitions by Al Jazeera Sports Network worldwide including winning the bid to show Ligue 1 in France from 2012-13 through 2018-18, as well as the rights to show UEFA Champions League in France from 2012-2015.
Al Jazeera Sports is currently only available in Arabic on DISH Network (channel 601 in HD). No news was available as of press time in regards to Al Jazeera Sports Network’s plans for how and where it’ll broadcast La Liga games in the US starting next season, or whether games will be available online via streaming.
Al Jazeera Sports Network, in the US, currently has the rights to AFC Asian Champions League (2012-2013), Africa Cup of Nations (through 2014), CAF Champions League (2012-13), Moroccan league (through 2013), Algerian league, Jordanian league and Syrian league.
Based in Qatar, Al Jazeera already provides coverage of La Liga to its audience in the Middle East.
Representatives from GolTV and Al Jazeera Sports Network were unable to be reached for immediate comment.
43 Responses to Exclusive: Al Jazeera Sports Network Wins La Liga US TV Rights, Says Source
La Liga is officially dead in the US thanks to this crap.
Bit dramatic don’t you think? They’ll just do the same thing they
did in France when they shocked everybody and won Ligue 1 rights
and launch a brand new channel available on all platforms. It’s not
the end of the world… just a little change. The Al Jazeera sports
channels in the Middle East are actually very professionally put
together and feature some top class pundits and reporters. You may
be pleasantly surprised once you see the US coverage on air.
Which you’ll have, at best, the same chance of seeing as you had of
seeing GolTV. Bet on it. But then, I say they resell the rights to
ESPN or Fox at a profit.
But the difference is that those were Frances soccer gms which is
why the new AlJazeera net got major carraige in France. None of the
American cable companies are going to feel as if they need to carry
this channel in the US because La Liga is not a necessity in the
US. Plus Al Jazeera still has a bad reputation from its news
division carrying bin Laden tapes despite the fact that there news
operation is one of the best around the world. IDK why Al Jazeera
didn’t try to nab the US World Cup rights though, they could have
added leverage to give cable companies in the US a reason to carry
a potential new sports channel and the existing news net. If I were
running Al Jazeera and wanted to see increased carriage in the
stellar news net and a potential new sports net, I would start
competing against ESPN, NBC, CBS, FOX and Turner for American
sports rights like MLB and Big East which are currently expiring
Not seeing much sign of that yet. They were supposed to be going on
August 15 but as far as I can tell non of the US carriers have
signed on yet. This really sucks!!!
wtf, y u no show la liga in english or spanish channels?
I really hope whatever channel they show the games on is available
to Directv subscribers. Nobody even subscribes to Dish.
Just relax. La Liga will be headed for a Spanish-language sports
channel under the ownership of Al Jazeera. That channel will be
separate from the existing Arabic-language Al Jazeera Sports USA
channel. That channel, if it were a new channel, currently has no
name and no pay TV distribution agreements in the U.S. — Consider
that Al Jazeera has deeper pockets than NewsCorp, ESPN, Inc.,
Univision, Comcast (NBC), etc. Do you honestly believe that Al
Jazeera will go through the painful process of negotiating new
deals with one pay TV operator at a time, a process that will take
YEARS instead of months? Or do you believe that Al Jazeera will use
its cash to buy an existing U.S. sports TV channel with
Spanish-language audio so that it can acquire existing pay TV
carriage agreements (and the associated subscribers), as well as a
brand that does not carry the negative stigma associated with the
Al Jazeera brand in the U.S.? The end game for one particular U.S.
TV sports channel with Spanish-language audio is about to take
place. There is no mystery what that channel is: La nueva —–
esta aqui. Tu canal del futbol.
I hope you’re right. I need my La Liga games.
great news!! i hope this is the demise of the crap channel that is
GolTv… their continuous branding efforts with their 2nd rate
commentary… ie comedy team was pathetic…. Al Jazeera will do La
Liga justice and have the right people in place to make La Liga
enjoyable… I hope they buy out GolTv.. while i like some of their
management team.. their unwillingness to have better commentators
killed this channel for most true football fans.. Cantona—
Are you retarded?
HAHA …really? thats all you have?… another Hudson high school
fan… arent you late for first period you twat. Cantona—
The fact that they offer the best quality picture, better than FSC
and others in the US. The fact that Ray Hudson, while often
outrageous, knows more about the game vs. nearly and probably every
English speaking commentator. Are you a dumb Arab that is trying to
promote AJ? I have nothing against them, their news is great, but
them trying to break into the US market by offering sub-standard
services is not fine. Anyway, go kill yourself =)
Dish doesn’t even have Directv. very few cable providers carry it
and Directv is the only satellite provider that carrys it.
typo *Dish doesn’t even have Goltv
well at least this time you added more substance to your ignorant
post. Your claim of best picture quality is based on what?? what
league.. different production teams produce different quality
feeds.. La Liga better than the EPL broadcasts?? NO.. Hudson a good
commentator?? here is where you really show your stupidity.. Hudson
couldnt hold a candle to Tommy Smyth …. and thats saying
something.. his only following are the preteen crowd (ie.. you) who
thinks orgasm comments are FUNNY.. and because he has a Geordie
accent you think the idiot is credible. Your comment about Al
Jazeera shows you have never seen their broadcast and probably are
still in your mommys basement watching DirecTv.. Al Jazeera have a
top quality sports channel.. great productions and great on camera
talent.. The Arab and kill yourself comment is just pathetic and
shows your maturity level.. so yes.. bye GolTv and with welcome
arms.. I welcome Al Jazeera.. now get back to school..you swot.
Cantona—
Cantona you are wrong. You go to any board and you will see the
feedback. GolTv definitely has a better HD picture than FSC. All
networks choose different types of HD to broadcast. I believe all
the Fox networks broadcast in 720p. I am no pro at this but anyone
can clearly see the picture quality difference between FSC and Gol
and even ESPN. Everyone has their opinion…. but Tommy Smyth……
what a joke. I need more than two hands to count the times he has
either stuttered or made an outright mistake in saying something
during a game. Ray Hudson knows his stuff and he makes it funny as
well. He was/is a great commentator that is balanced out by Phil
Schoen. As far as Al Jareeza….. well I am disappointed in La Liga
for selling out. Either they know something… or they don’t care
that they will lose a lot of their USA fan base. I sure hope Al
Jareeza sub licenses the rights or buys a network that DirecTv
carries. I guess I am one of the few….. but for one will miss
GolTv.
you missed my point.. Smyth is the worst… but is still miles
above Hudson.. Cantona–
The biggest difference between Smyth and Hudson, according to
sources: 1. Smyth actually prepares for telecasts 2. Hudson
allegedly walks into the studio 5 minutes before each telecast and
skims through the notes that were prepared by his broadcast partner
That would explain the lack of substance in Hudson’s “color
commentary”.
Would like to see your sources on that one.
oky.. aljazeera sport going to won every game on the world my
opinion is no one can stop aljazeera for one reason aljazeera sport
don’t care about money. that linke maybe explain much :
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2052402/Sky-face-Premier-League-TV-rights-battle-Al-Jazeera.html
Not likely for BSkyB to lose UK domestic rights to Premier League.
ESPN UK is the one that is more likely to walk away if Al Jazeera
were to bid.
If this is true it will be a great shame if AJ don’t bring Ray
Hudson and Phil Schoen to the new channel. Ray’s combination of
character and knowledge mean he is a unique television personality,
perhaps even phenomenon. We should celebrate that in today’s world
of scripted reality shows and trope-regurgitating television, Ray
Hudson hasn’t lost a hint of raw personality despite the deadening
expectations placed upon people in his position, most of whom in
the English-speaking world have merely aped the bland
“professional” stereotype of those they grew up watching, becoming
nothing more than ciphers in the process. Ray brings passion to
broadcasts and brings them to life with the enthusiasm of the
terraces. Ray knows what he is talking about: he has played in the
English Football League, and in the U.S. has played competitively
with some of the best players in history, even if that is not at
the very highest level. The reactionary nature of television
broadcasting might make it hard for Ray to get on, say, Sky or FSC
without toning it down, but that doesn’t mean GolTV with Phil and
Ray isn’t something both credible and entertaining at the same
time.
The new channel will have Spanish-language audio. Al Jazeera is
going after the Hispanic market in the U.S. as well as
Spanish-speaking Latin America. Again, no guarantee that the new
channel will have English-language audio or English-language
closed-captioning. Even if the new channel were to have
English-language audio, there is no guarantee that the new channel
will need English-language talent based in South Florida. La Liga
International match video come with English-language voiceover
provided by MEDIAPRO. Al Jazeera has English-speaking sports TV
talent based in Doha, Qatar, including big names such as former
England star Gary Lineker.
They’re not going after me. Pal carajo con estos moros.
@ Ray Fan…. here here! good one
Didn’t Spain kick these people out five hundred years ago? I blame
the Brits.
Are you punking me? Trying to one-up April fools?
Osama must be rolling in his aquarium.
joejoe . just go fuck your self son of bitch
That’s the spirit. I love it. Remember to wash up daily.
This is news sadder than a Tony Bennett & Alejandro Sanz song.
You can’t buy love, but you can buy a World Cup, Foreign TV rights,
The front of the Barcelona shirt, The entire city of Manchester,
and … a goat.
Taliban Johnny called. He wants a Al Jazeera … and a goat.
Any news yet on which cable station will broadcast la Liga next
season (2012-2013)? My husband and I love European soccer.
i just called directv, comcast and verizon no one has any idea
about what aljazeerah or la liga are . those americans only care
about baseball cheese and food stamps
Let me ask again. Does anyone know which cable station La Liga will
be on in the U.S. next season (20212-2013)?
A decision hasn’t been announced, but it’ll probably be beIN Sports.
Cheers,
The Gaffer
Im getting nervous, too. I was planning on buying access to GolTV
for la liga but now im not sure what i’ll do. all in good time, i
guess. i heard somewhere that ESPN was launching a soccer-devoted
channel (in the US) but i also heard it was spanish only (sounds
like ESPN Deportes to me)
just saw this:
http://epltalk.com/bein-sport-to-launch-2-new-soccer-channels-this-august-in-usa-42889
This is a disgrace. Who from LIGABBVA is responsible for this? What
did Florentino Perez do? It’s amazing because if you know the
etymology of the word LIGA in Latin and its history, you know this
extremely antithetical. But I like to know who signed off on this,
and also for Serie A. Silvio Berlusconi? Will Milan Channel stay on
GolTV? And how about the Crosses on all these Club’s Jerseys. I
read next the same group of people involved in this “CHANGE” are
also planning to undo the Crosses of Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC
Milan, etc.
I love this and it will be good if Aljazeera can win the right to
broadcast The English Barclays Premier League. Am delighted about
the move for the right. I can’t wait anymore to see Aljazeera
broadcasting Barclays Premier League.
said the former University of Florida running back immediately
showed his courage. C Luo would not have reservations, but it will
do anything, because he wanted to take the opportunity to