The collective bargaining agreement agreed by players in the Primera Iberdrola, Spain’s elite women’s soccer league, has been delayed again after being blocked by Barcelona and Real Madrid, according to Palco23.
Players had suspended their strike in November after reopening negotiations with clubs over pay and an agreement was later reached on 14th January, with the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) confirming it would pay the €8 million (US$8.8 million) needed to end the dispute.
However, the agreement, due to be signed on 20th January, is now reportedly in doubt after Barca and Real demanded the right to broadcast matches featuring their women’s teams on their own in-house television channels, Barca TV and Real Madid TV.
Spanish law prevents distribution via in-house channels under collectively agreed TV rights deals, such as the agreement between Spanish media agency Mediapro and the Association of Women’s Soccer Clubs (ACFF), the 12-member Spanish women’s club soccer body. At present, two games per matchday are shown on Mediapro’s Gol channel but home games for the four teams outside of the ACFF – Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao, Sevilla and Tacon – are not included.
That latest proposal deal is backed by the ACFF, which released a statement on 21st January regarding the situation. It said: ‘On the afternoon [20th January] there was a meeting of the Primera Division board of the ACFF, in which the clubs were informed of the state of the negotiations that have been taking place, within the framework of the global pact proposed by the ACFF and Mediapro on November 4, 2019, in relation to the Women's Elite Programme and audiovisual rights.
‘These negotiations are taking place, and continue to do so, during the last hours, in such a way that, once the necessary agreements have been reached, the ACFF will proceed to the signing of the first collective agreement of the Primera Women's Division.’
Barca had already broken rank by broadcasting their game against Atletico Madrid last year via Barca TV, but appeared to settle the dispute with Mediapro in October by permitting away games to be broadcast on Gol.
Though there is no deadline for the new agreement to be signed off, and the issue could still be resolved, the news sparks fresh doubt over whether the players will once again take direct action.
“Go on strike? We wouldn't like it, but in the end we feel like we're not being taken seriously,” said Ainhoa Tirapu, Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper and spokesperson for the players. “We don’t rule anything out.”
Barca and Real want to show women’s games on their own in-house channels.
The collective bargaining agreement agreed by players in the Primera Iberdrola, Spain’s elite women’s soccer league, has been delayed again after being blocked by Barcelona and Real Madrid, according to Palco23.
Players had suspended their strike in November after reopening negotiations with clubs over pay and an agreement was later reached on 14th January, with the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) confirming it would pay the €8 million (US$8.8 million) needed to end the dispute.
However, the agreement, due to be singed on 20th January, is now reportedly in doubt after Barca and Real demanded the right to broadcast matches featuring their women’s teams on their own in-house television channels, Barca TV and Real Madid TV.
Spanish law prevents distribution via in-house channels under collectively agreed TV rights deals, such as the agreement between Spanish media agency Mediapro and the Association of Women’s Soccer Clubs (ACFF), the 12-member Spanish women’s club soccer body. At present, two games per matchday are shown on Mediapro’s Gol channel but home games for the four teams outside of the ACFF – Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao, Sevilla and Tacon – are not included.
That latest proposal deal is backed by the ACFF, which released a statement on 21st January regarding the situation. It said: ‘On the afternoon [20th January] there was a meeting of the Primera Division board of the ACFF, in which the clubs were informed of the state of the negotiations that have been taking place, within the framework of the global pact proposed by the ACFF and Mediapro on November 4, 2019, in relation to the Women's Elite Programme and audiovisual rights.
‘These negotiations are taking place, and continue to do so, during the last hours, in such a way that, once the necessary agreements have been reached, the ACFF will proceed to the signing of the first collective agreement of the Primera Women's Division.’
Barca had already broken rank by broadcasting their game against Atletico Madrid last year via Barca TV, but appeared to settle the dispute with Mediapro in October by permitting away games to be broadcast on Gol.
Though there is no deadline for the new agreement to be signed off, and the issue could still resolved, the news sparks fresh doubt over whether the players’ will once again take direct action.
“Go on strike? We wouldn't like it, but in the end we feel like we're not being taken seriously,” said Ainhoa Tirapu, Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper and spokesperson for the players. “We don’t rule anything out.”
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