League 1: Five reasons for the conflict over TV rights and what are the positions one week before the tournament should start

On one side, the Peruvian Football Federation (FPF) that clings to the statutes approved to seize the television rights. Of the other; eight clubs, including alliance Lime Y academic, together with the Peru Football Consortium (Gol Peru), who want everything to continue as it is now with a project that, according to the parties, has worked. And in the middle, the fan.

The TV rights dispute it has several weeks without a halfway point being reached. For this reason, after knowing all the positions, we try to be as didactic as possible to explain what is happening and what could happen with Liga 1.

1. Who owns the TV rights for Liga 1?

The Peruvian Football Federationunder a new associative model, protected by its current statutes approved by the majority of the clubs and ratified in the TAS upon the complaint of four opposing teams: Alianza Lima, Melgar, Cienciano and Sporting Cristal. Only the latter seems to have aligned himself with said rule, since he is now on the side of the FPF.

This new agreement is summarized as follows: a) The clubs are partners in the project, and not the sole owners; b) They receive a minimum guaranteed annual amount that amounts to 20% more than what they receive today, in addition to a single additional amount (500 thousand dollars annually); c) The participation of 70% of future profits.

In September 2022, the federation signed with the company 1190 Sports for 13 years (2023 to 2036) in a tender that, according to the opposing clubs for TV rights (Alianza Lima, Sports University, Cienciano, Melgar, Binacional, Municipal, Boys Cusco FC), it was illegal. In fact, no other company participated.

2. Why did the crisis explode?

Because some clubs…alliance, melgarto name the two heaviest- renewed their contract with the Peruvian Football Consortium (GolPerú and Movistar)despite the official communication from the FPF about the new transfer of rights to 1190.

These institutions relied on the first option clause that states that when the contracts end, an obligation will subsist for a period of one year (all this 2023), in which it is mentioned that if the club is offered a television contract, it has the obligation to tell the operator so that he matches the offer. Otherwise, they would be breaching the contract and would have to pay a penalty.

According to Alberto Beingolea, spokesperson for the Peru Football Consortium,CFP’s offer far exceeds what is offered by 1190 Sports (20% more) and even what is normally found in other South American countries.

3. Which channel will broadcast Liga 1 2023?

With the support of Torneos y Competencias, and after winning a tender in Chile in August 2022, the 1190 Sports chain won and will decide where and how the matches are broadcast. Until today, both Best Cable like in DirecTV you can see the championship.

In turn, an application called “Liga 1 Play” will be created in which an extra subscription must be paid to watch the matches of the tournament. This option is via streaming and the fan will not need to purchase a package from a cable operator.

For their part, the fans of the clubs that still have a valid contract with the Consortium until December 2025 (University, Municipal, Boys and Mannucci) they will have to have Movistar (Gol Perú) to watch their teams’ home matches and an extra cable operator -or the application- for visiting matches.

4. Do I have to pay something extra to watch League 1 2023?

Yes. Juan Carlos Balssanian, manager of 1190 Sports, was blunt in a recent interview with Deporte Total. The Argentine pointed out the steps that the fans must take to see the 2023 League 1.

“Yes. To watch the Liga 1 matches, an extra subscription will be paid to acquire the premium package of the official channel called Liga 1 Max”he indicated, although of course, there is also the application that exempts from hiring a cable operator.

5. When does League 1 start?

Until the closing of this note, the debut of League 1 will be on Friday, January 27 to Monday 30, already with Date 2. The first day was postponed this weekend as there were no guarantees from the National Police of Peru because of the social conflict that is going on these days in the country.

The Apertura 2023 will begin with the first game scheduled for date 2 between binational Y ADT. Alianza should play on Saturday at 3:30 pm with Muni in Matute and the ‘U’ on Sunday at the same time against Sullana in the Campeones del 36.

This, of course, if an agreement is reached between all parties. If this is not the case, and continue as it is up to now, it is likely that there will be WO and that will affect the holding of the national contest.