Why LaLiga moving to ESPN is great for the fans and league

Real Madrid fans in the United States have been watching their favorite team on beIN Sports USA for the past several years, as they hold the rights to LaLiga content. The commentary and presentation from the actual on-screen talent is amazing. Ray Hudson and Phil Schoen have become legendary figures in the booth, George D. Metellus and Kaylyn Kyle have been excellent on panels or commentary, and Eric Krakauer is a true rising star in the industry.

But beIN isn’t as accessible as ESPN or NBC, which currently house the other top five leagues (Serie A, Bundesliga for ESPN and Premier League for NBC) not broadcast by beIN (LaLiga, Ligue 1). Whereas ESPN+ can be purchased as a monthly streaming service and NBC Sports is carried by most cable/bundled streaming services, beIN can only be purchased with a fuboTV or Sling + Sports Extra subscription. And that’s usually more costly.

So it’s good news for Real Madrid and LaLiga fans that the league has reportedly struck a huge deal to move to ESPN in the United States.

The details of the move were first reported by El Confidencial, but since that article is behind paywall you may not have access to, you can read more reporting in the update from AS.

LaLiga needs to do a better job of competing with the Premier League

LaLiga’s deal with ESPN is worth a whopping 1.4 billion dollars over eight years. That money could help clubs like Real during these difficult economic times, and it also seems like the move will reenergize the league’s reach.

Although LaLiga has the highest quality football in the world, the presentation and marketing around the league are horrible, especially in comparison to the Premier League. There is almost no outreach from beIN, and the league itself spends more time banning fan accounts sharing highlights than it does, you know, actually sharing highlights!

It’s frustrating, but maybe this move signifies a change. ESPN+ costs $5.99 a month, which is cheaper than what most fans are currently paying to watch the league. And on top of that, there is a chance big games will be on ESPN and ESPN2, which is the case for some of the Bundesliga and Serie A matches. Imagine El Clasico being broadcast by ABC, which, like ESPN, is owned by Disney.

There’s a lot of upside to this deal, and, hopefully, some of the people doing an amazing job of covering LaLiga at beIN will get that same opportunity to do so at ESPN. Because there is a lot of talent. We saw people move from FOX Sports to ESPN when the Bundesliga made the switch.

LaLiga realizes it needs to get serious about competing economically and doing a better job of promoting its league. That’s the next step. But the first step, a big-money move to a more recognizable network in the United States, looks like a good one. Hopefully, I don’t end up singing a different tune by the middle of this eight-year deal.