Barcelona edges out Real to top LaLiga TV revenue table

Barcelona earned the biggest television rights payment in LaLiga last season despite rival Real Madrid winning the title.

LaLiga, the organising body of the top two divisions in Spain, has disclosed revenue payments for the 2016-17 season, with Barcelona securing a record €146.2m ($173.2m), €6.2m more than the prior campaign.

By contrast, Real gained €140.1m, with the league as a whole paying out €1.247bn to its 20 clubs, versus €1.237bn in 2015-16.

The 2015-16 season was the first under LaLiga’s switch to a collective rights-selling model. Away from Spain’s ‘big two’, Atlético Madrid pulled in €99.2m while Athletic Bilbao netted €71m.

Alavés and Leganés received the smallest payments of €39.3m apiece. LaLiga distributes revenue according to results over the past five seasons, accounting for Barcelona’s greater share. The Catalan club won the title in 2015-16, 2014-15 and 2012-13.

LaLiga is currently marketing rights for its next set of broadcast deals, which take effect from the 2019-20 season. President Javier Tebas has said that new contracts should bring in around €1.3bn per season for domestic rights and €1bn for overseas, if negotiations progress smoothly.