LaLiga has announced a new joint venture to increase its presence in the Middle East, North Africa and the Indian subcontinent as the league aims to continue its international growth and compete with the Premier League.
The 15-year agreement with the Dubai-based company Galaxy Racer is expected to generate over €3 billion ($2.9 billion) in revenue, the league said in a statement on Tuesday.
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The deal follows LaLiga’s partnership with Relevent Sports, signed in 2018, which was aimed at promoting the league in North America.
LaLiga and Galaxy Racer — which is an eSports and gaming firm founded in 2019 — will each hold a 50% stake in the new joint venture.
The league hopes to increase engagement with existing fans in the region, as well as working to target younger audiences under the age of 30.
“The LaLiga brand is powerful, but its potential remains untapped amongst Millenials and Gen Z in the MENA region,” Galaxy Racer CEO Paul Roy said in a statement.
LaLiga believes that while it is already the most popular international league in the region, there is significant room for growth.
Sources highlighted the league’s advantages over the Bundesliga — which had not been broadcast in the Middle East and North Africa for the last two years before a new deal was announced last week — and Serie A, which has limited distribution in the area.
LaLiga’s 15-year North American deal with Relevent included an agreement to work towards playing regular-season games in the United States, although a dispute with the Spanish football federation over the plan’s legality forced the league to put the scheme on hold.
