RFEF asked to change Copa del Rey and other rights proposals

The Spanish competition watchdog, the Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC), has asked the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to modify its rights proposals.

Covering the 2022/23 season until possibly 2026/27 depending on the length of bids offered, the proposals include the international rights to the Copa Del Rey and Spanish Super Cup, as well as domestic rights to women’s football, amateur football and futsal.

This comes shortly after the CNMC also asked LaLiga to change its rights tender earlier this year, wanting it to return to three-year deals instead of the five it offered. The league ignored its recommendations and completed five-year deals with DAZN and Telefonica.

One of its requests to the federation is similar in its scope, asking the organisation to consider a contract duration ‘appropriate’ to the competitions. As deals of up to five years are possible, this may mean it wants the proposals to be shorter.

Other recommendations to the Spanish Football Federation include reforming aspects that it sees as against publicity, transparency, competitiveness, non-discrimination, and legal guarantees in the process of awarding rights, limiting the federation’s discretion in accepting offers, and providing more information on the reserve price and what happens if it isn’t reached. 

In addition, it wants the organisation to give more information on the nature of the rights being offered, and to not include obligations regarding what advertisers the successful bidder can use.