GolTV given deadline to pay Ecuadorian Serie A rights fees owed

GolTV’s contract with Ecuador’s Serie A is currently under serious threat. The two sides previously agreed to a 10-year deal worth around $314 million back in 2017. Nevertheless, the broadcaster has reportedly not given the South American top flight division the necessary funds since September of 2023. As a result, Serie A officials are giving GolTV until May 24th to make the appropriate payments.

According to a report by Inside World Football, the ongoing delays have hindered some teams’ abilities to pay their players. Officials from all 16 Serie A teams recently met to come to a consensus regarding what to do about the broadcaster. The league determined GolTV must comply with the aforementioned payments within 15 days. The meeting between club and league officials took place on May 9th.

Nataly Villavicencio, president of Ecuadorian side Deportivo Cuenca, expressed his concerns following the recent meeting. “The priority is solutions. Lately, we haven’t been receiving anything, for the economy of all the clubs it’s a big blow not to have the television rights,” Villavicencio told local media. “They owe us seven months, it’s a significant value. We owe the players two months [wages].”

GolTV official wants Ecuadorian Serie A to make scheduling changes

It was previously revealed that GolTV president Carlos Moyano asked Ecuadorian Serie A executives to change the terms of their deal, as well as the league’s current format. Moyano personally voiced concerns with league officials regarding a decline in subscribers and ongoing piracy issues.

The GolTV president is essentially demanding that each Serie A club play each other four times per campaign. This unusual schedule most recently occurred in Ecuador back in 2018. The league was split between two different seasons then, with every team playing each other home and away in the two campaigns. After the second season, the two tables were put together on aggregate to determine a league winner.

The Ecuador Serie A currently has more of a traditional soccer schedule, with each club facing off twice per year. Despite the odd demands, Serie A president Miguel Angel Loor recently defended GolTV and even assured clubs that discussions would continue on the matter.

GolTV has fallen from grace in recent years

Upcoming Serie A matches this weekend will remain on GolTV for now. Cuenca is hosting Imbabura on Friday, May 17. Assuming the two sides do not reach a deal, broadcasting may not suffer until the second half of the season.

GolTV previously launched back in 2003. While the network has suffered in recent years, it did once hold broadcasting rights to LaLiga and Bundesliga matches. Nevertheless, American sports giant ESPN has since taken over the reins for these popular European soccer leagues. GolTV also had Argentina’s Primera Division as well. Paramount+, however, recently purchased the streaming rights to the South American league.

Currently, GolTV is now the home of Portugal’s Primeira Liga, as well as the Ecuadorian Serie A. The sports channel is available on Fanatiz, Fubo, and other select cable providers.

PHOTOS: IMAGO.