Global Fútbol

LaLiga has released the official figures for the distribution of audiovisual rights revenue to clubs for the 2021/22 season, with the adjustments related to the organisation’s agreement with CVC (Boost LaLiga) taken into account. Among the most significant takeaways from the data is the growth in revenue from the commercialisation of audiovisual rights, as this has risen to 1,601m euros, which is 10.8% more than the previous season and 15% more than in 2016/17.

Three LaLiga clubs feature among the European teams with the highest revenues  

These latest figures show that Real Madrid (160.59m euros) and FC Barcelona (159.88m euros) are on a par with the six top-earning Premier League clubs. Moreover, when adding Atlético de Madrid (130.38m euros), these three Spanish clubs have a higher figure for audiovisual rights revenue distribution than any club in Germany’s Bundesliga, Italy’s Serie A and France’s Ligue 1.

Then, Sevilla FC (87.58m euros) are just under the 90m euros TV rights income mark for 2021/22, while they are followed by various clubs that earned above 65m euros: Valencia CF (69.86m euros), Real Sociedad (69.44m euros), Villarreal CF (67.91m euros), Athletic Club (66.24m euros) and Real Betis (65.48m euros).

Looking at the total amount received, 134.88m euros corresponds to the obligations established with the so-called Pactos de Viana and other commitments, which are as follows: 47.64m euros for the CSD (Consejo Superior de Deportes, the Spanish government’s sports council), 31.76m euros to the RFEF (Real Federación Española de Fútbol, the Spanish football federation), 39.63m euros for relegation aid payments, 15.85m euros for LaLiga, 7.6m euros for AFE (Asociación de Futbolistas Españoles, the Spanish players’ union) and 320,000 euros for FutON.

LaLiga’s percentage growth of TV revenue is greater than the Premier League

The revenues from the commercialisation of audiovisual rights have grown in LaLiga by 15% since the 2016/17 season (from 1,390m euros to 1,601m euros), which is more than those of the Premier League as its growth has been 5% in the same period (from 2,398m euros to 2,536m euros).

That is an especially impressive figure considering the number of pay-TV subscribers in the UK is more than twice the number of Spain (15 million subscribers compared to a little over 6.4 million in Spain), considering the number of OTT platform subscribers is also more than twice as high in the UK (36 million subscribers compared to 14 million) and, moreover, considering the fact that there are more inhabitants, households and higher per capita income levels there than in Spain.

LaLiga SmartBank clubs share out 10% of TV revenues

According to the Spanish law Real Decreto-ley 5/2015, 90% of the revenue is allocated to LaLiga Santander clubs, while 10% goes to LaLiga SmartBank clubs. Looking at the clubs that were in the second tier last season, Real Valladolid (9.78m euros) is the club to have received the most revenue from the distribution of TV rights. Next up is SD Huesca (9.58m euros) and SD Eibar (8.8m euros). Real Sporting, CD Leganés, UD Las Palmas and UD Almería are also above 8m euros, while the teams that collected the least amounts last term were SD Amorebieta (5.57m euros), UD Ibiza (5.75m euros) and Real Sociedad B (5.77m euros).

As for the clubs that were relegated out of professional football at the end of the 2020/21 season, which were UD Logroñés, CE Sabadell, Albacete Balompié and CD Castellón, they all benefited from a compensation fund last year, with a payment of 1.25m euros for each club.

The criteria for revenue distribution in LaLiga Santander and LaLiga SmartBank

When the revenue is split between the LaLiga Santander clubs, there are three criteria or percentages that are established as follows: 50% is shared equally, 25% is based on sporting results and the other 25% is for social establishment.

With the sporting part, results from the five previous seasons in LaLiga Santander are taken into account, where each position and each season has a percentage. Being champion of the competition is worth 17%, while being last is 0.25%. Although the last five seasons are taken into account, the most recent ones have a higher weight (35% for the most recent one and 15% for the one five seasons ago, for example).

There are two criteria regarding the percentage for social establishment (25%). The first is that one third of this 25% is based on the average season ticket and box office takings over the last five seasons. The other criterion is that the remaining two thirds are established by the share in the generation of resources from the commercialisation of television broadcasts, comparing the average audiences obtained by each team in each season.

Finally, in the case of LaLiga SmartBank, the distribution is also carried out based on the same three criteria as LaLiga Santander, but the only change is the percentage: 70% is equal, 15% is for sporting results and 15% is for social establishment.