
<p>Real Madrid has officially launched their very own streaming service. <a href="https://play.realmadrid.com/home?itm_campaign=rmcom-herobanner_all_acceso_ott_en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">RM Play</a> will be the new home to all video content related to the club. As of today, more than 700 total hours of content is currently available on the platform. Videos are available in English and Spanish, as well as Portuguese subtitles for select programming.</p>



<p>The Spanish giants were previously one of the first soccer clubs to launch their own television channel in 1999. However, many teams now already have over-the-top streaming platforms in place. Nevertheless, news of the new service comes six weeks after rivals <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/barcelona-tv-schedule/">Barcelona</a> announced that they were <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/barca-tv-to-shut-down-after-24-years-of-fc-barcelona-coverage-20230429-WST-430940.html">ending Barca TV</a>.</p>



<h2>RM Play features two different tiers for users to pick from</h2>



<p>Real’s new service features two available tiers to choose from. According to <em><a href="https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/rm-play-real-madrid-ott-streaming/?zephr_sso_ott=ZHSZ3o" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SportsPro Media</a></em>, the free version essentially asks users for registration, which will then generate data for the club. The premium option will obviously help bring in more paying members to the team.</p>



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<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">🆕 Presentamos… ¡<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RMPlay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RMPlay</a>!<br>▶️ ¡La nueva plataforma de streaming para <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Madridistas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Madridistas</a>!<br>📺 📲 💻 Nuestro mejor contenido… ¡en cualquier momento y lugar!<br>👉 <a href="https://t.co/sRyh3ypnSA">https://t.co/sRyh3ypnSA</a> <a href="https://t.co/Of33W1gwgM">pic.twitter.com/Of33W1gwgM</a></p>— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) <a href="https://twitter.com/realmadrid/status/1666430175905476608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>The <a href="https://www.realmadrid.com/en/news/2023/06/07/real-madrid-launches-rm-play-the-platform-to-view-all-of-the-clubs-video-content" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">club claims</a> that the service was “created as a value-added service for the entire Madrid family.” RM Play can be accessed via mobile devices, tablets, and Smart TVs. This includes Apple TV, Android TV, and Amazon Fire TV.</p>



<h2>A plethora of content is currently available on service</h2>



<p>Current <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/real-madrid-tv-schedule/">Real Madrid</a> members can currently access RM Play. This includes press conferences, highlights, and exclusive interviews. Historical archives of match highlights are also available as well. This involves snippets of Real Madrid games from over the last 15 years. Trailers and first episodes of original content involving the club is also accessible.</p>



<p>Premium and Junior members will receive all of the above access plus additional perks. This includes complete full match replays of any current or past match in the last 15 years. Full access to original series and documentaries such as Behind the Champions, Leyenda Blanca, the Bernabéu documentary, and Campo de Estrellas is also accessible. There will be more exclusive content available in the future.</p>



<p>Photo credit: <strong>IMAGO / Marca</strong></p>


Real Madrid have launched their own streaming service. RM Play currently features over 700 hours of content related to the team.

Real Madrid launch their own streaming service - World Soccer Talk

Real Madrid launch their own streaming service


<p><a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/barcelona-tv-schedule/">Barcelona</a> have made the decision to shut down Barca TV in attempts to cut costs. The Spanish club informed multinational telecommunications company Telefonica that they will not renew their contract this summer. An official statement is expected from the team in the coming weeks.</p>



<p>Barca TV launched in 1999 as a way to help grow the club’s reach. Telefonica currently manages the television channel for the club. The current contract between the two sides will expire on June 30th. Barcelona’s decision will apparently see around 120 employees lose their jobs. This includes both full-time employees and freelancers. </p>



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<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Today, all those involved with Barça Studios, we were officially told that the entire production company will cease its operations. 120 of us will not be renewed come the end of June. It’s with a heavy heart that I part ways with the exciting project started some 4 years ago.</p>— Diego Lorijn (@DiegoLorijn) <a href="https://twitter.com/DiegoLorijn/status/1651683906570055691?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<h2>Barca TV employees previously held strikes</h2>



<p>Workers from Barca TV previously organized multiple strikes over poor work conditions last year. The strikes seemingly helped, as the protests ended after nearly a month. However, <em><a href="https://theathletic.com/4459335/2023/04/27/barcelona-barca-tv-finance-lever/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Athletic</a></em> reported that the workers stated that “there were still problems to be solved.”</p>



<p>However, there are <a href="https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/la-liga/barcelona-television-channel-barca-tv-to-close-after-24-years-lewandowski-messi-la-liga-news/article66786661.ece" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">suggestions</a> that the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/la-liga-tv-schedule/">LaLiga</a> leaders will use their own production company, Barca Studios, to create new video content. This would essentially help fill the void left behind by axing the station. This remains unconfirmed.</p>



<h2>Spanish club has various financial issues</h2>



<p>Various financial problems have hit the Catalan giants in recent months. The club were fined for <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/barcelona-hit-with-financial-fair-play-violation-and-fine-20230103-WST-414235.html">violating Financial Fair Play rules</a> earlier in the year. To help ease these issues the Spanish side sold 24.5% of Barca Studios to help raise funds. </p>



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<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Juventus and Barcelona could both be BANNED from Europe next season: Falsified finances, disgraced board members resigning en masse and £6.5m paid to a REFEREE chief… how have two footb…<br>via <a href="https://t.co/t7Lq79y5hK">https://t.co/t7Lq79y5hK</a> <a href="https://t.co/ik0kbZ9Y67">https://t.co/ik0kbZ9Y67</a></p>— Prof Imonokha Enakhena Jr (@IEnakhena) <a href="https://twitter.com/IEnakhena/status/1651324659239903232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Orpheus Media reportedly purchased the stake for around $220 million. Generating this money essentially helped Los Cules purchase Robert Lewandowski from <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/bayern-munich-tv-schedule/">Bayern Munich</a> last summer. The Polish striker joined the Spanish outfit for around $45 million.</p>



<p>Spending freely on transfers and having a bloated wage bill has also forced the club to find multiple ways to raise significant money. Along with selling a stake in Barca Studios, the Blaugrana have also increased income by <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/money-burdened-barcelona-secures-stadium-financing-20230424-WST-429961.html">securing stadium financing</a>.</p>



<p>Photo credit: <strong>IMAGO / ZUMA Wire</strong></p>


Barcelona will shut down Barca TV this summer after 24 years, with the club citing a need to fit into LaLiga's FFP rules as a factor

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Barca TV to shut down after 24 years of FC Barcelona coverage