The channel will combine live and recorded football match broadcasts
from Spain's top division Liga BBVA, as well as seven European
tournaments such as England's Premier League and Italy's Serie A, and
three Latin American championships, including Argentina's Torneo
Apertura. This season, Gol will also offer several games from Europe's
UEFA Cup and qualifying competitions for the 2010 World Cup, but the
channel’s impact will most probably be felt during the 2009-10 season,
when Mediapro draws on its rights to the European Champions League.
The launch breaks the 18-year monopoly held by conglomerate
Sogecable on pay-television football rights in Spain, and represents a
goal for Mediapro in its battle with Prisa-owned Sogecable, and puts in
doubt the value of Sogecable’s Digital Plus pay-television operator as
Prisa attempts to sell it.
Besides Orange, Gol TV is launching on two Spanish regional cable
operators, the Basque Country's Euskaltel and Asturias' Telecable.
Gol's director, Jose Joaquin Brotons, told the news service that
Mediapro is negotiating with the remainder of Spain’s pay television
operators, barring Sogecable, for them to carry Gol TV. He added that
Mediapro will also control Spanish television rights for Spain’s entire
first and second division football teams from next season, except
Atletico de Madrid, Getafe and Betis.
