The spread of SARS-CoV-2 and the measures adopted by public authorities to prevent health risks posed by COVID-19 led organisers of sport events worldwide to cancel all ongoing competitions. The Spanish Professional Football League or “LaLiga” was suspended for almost three months, and pending matches for the 2019 – 2020 season resumed with a new and tight calendar. Such unexpected changes in the championship undoubtedly diminished the value of LaLiga broadcasting rights and generated losses to their national and international holders. This contribution discusses the application of Spanish contract law to identify any possible claims that broadcasters could have to seek some relief. On close inspection, it is unlikely that broadcasters could enjoy any remedies to claim damages, to terminate their payment obligations or to adjust their contracts with LaLiga’s organiser. However, due to the particularities of the football broadcasting market, voluntary renegotiation of contracts is expected to occur.

A LONG FOOTBALL BLACKOUT

The coronavirus has profoundly affected professional and amateur sports. As authorities around the world began to react to prevent the spread of COVID-19, sports went into an almost complete blackout. Competitions that were still in progress were abruptly interrupted and their organisers were leftunsure whether and under what conditions they could be resumed. At the time of writing some, such as the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, have been postponed to 2021, whereas others have been cancelled. In many countries, all sports facilities and venues were forced to temporarily close. Professional athletes in several jurisdictions could only train from their homes, and some of them decided to withdraw from tournaments. As all major sport competitions and events were suspended, no live sports were available on TV or on the internet for months.

Many of this blackout’s economic and legal repercussions are yet to emerge. The impossibility to hold the competitions or other sports events as initially planned has had a tremendous impact on the long-term agreements in force, the economic investments their parties made, and other contractual networks involved in one of the most lucrative markets in the entertainment industry: sport broadcasting rights.

In this contribution, I focus on Spanish professional football and more specifically on the broadcasting rights for the Spanish Professional Football League or “LaLiga”. This league competition is the most important one in Spain and it also has many followers worldwide.