Óscar Mayo: “The Barça-CVC agreement must be the same as the rest”

LaLiga and 38 clubs have opted for the Impulse Plan to accelerate their growth. An agreement that binds them to CVC for the next 50 years, in which the clubs give up 9% of their TV rights in exchange for an injection of 1,994 million. Oscar May (Segovia, 1989), CEO, analyzes and defends this agreement that Madrid, Barca and Athletic have tried to curb legal proceedings unsuccessfully.

Why is the Impulse Plan for LaLiga so important?

The injection of €2,000 million in a controlled, strategic and coordinated manner will guarantee the growth of LaLiga in the coming years. We are going to grow in 4-5 years what it would have taken in 20. That is why it is so important, even at the same level as economic control and the centralization of audiovisual rights. The effect is very similar.

When will it be noticeable in the income of the clubs and in the growth of television rights?

For now we have guaranteed the growth of international rights for three years. We will see the real jump in 4-5 years. In the case of the clubs, there is a series of income that will begin to be seen depending on how strategic their projects are and the time it takes them. It will show in one or two. LaLiga is already carrying out projects that will generate a revenue direct, but the greatest will be seen within three.

How will the control of the money that is given be?

The commitment of the clubs is to invest to grow in the mentioned line. So, they have accepted that LaLiga is going to control the fate of the money. It goes to the clubs justified in advance and then there is a control with audits to see that it goes to the proposed ends.

There are voices that say that the entry of CVC affects the governance of LaLiga…

We have created a Board of Directors of eight members. LaLiga has five, they two and there is an independent. We have a majority and in case of a tie, the quality vote is ours. They are a minority shareholder who provides a vision and there are some investment commitments with them. There is a plan, but autonomy is not lost.

Is the agreement reached such a bargain for CVC?

You have to talk seriously to the clubs and not tease them. Sometimes they think they are stupid and they are disrespected from other clubs, from Key Capital (investment fund) or from wherever. They think they are not prepared people. This has been the failure of the attempt to convince them not to accept the operation. You have to respect that they make their own decisions.

Who takes them for fools?

I have seen the announcements and they are trying to play with the future and present value of money. In the case of Real Madrid, they have carried out operations with very similar funds. Now the stadium is going to be taken out by a company, they are going to cede 20% and, in addition, apparently, cede the management. If a third party does it, it’s fine, but if LaLiga does it, it’s wrong. You have to be serious.

How do you assess the dismissal of the precautionary measures requested by Madrid, Barça and Athletic?

There has been an effort to try to stop the project at all costs. Complaints and criminal lawsuits were threatened so that we would not continue. The clubs approved it and it continued. Then there was a media attack to discredit him. It didn’t work either. Now they have dismissed the judicial measures. We are happy.

Barça now wants an agreement with CVC. How is the negotiation going?

There is no negotiation. The agreement contemplates that the clubs that have not adhered can do so. They’ll have to see if it fits…

Would it be possible for them to reach an agreement only with CVC and with other conditions?

The partners agreement with CVC says that the fund will not be able to make any agreement with any direct club, but it does recognize that it can work with those who are not so that they are, as long as it is under the same conditions as the rest of the clubs. And as long as LaLiga approves it. The money, the term, the return and the destination (70% for infrastructure, 15% for debt and 15% for wage bill) is the same. The project has a series of cases that they will be analyzing, but not with us. I insist, the conditions are the same for everyone. The project is the one voted by the clubs. I have the feeling that what Barça did, in his case Ferran Reverter (former Blaugrana CEO), was to sign what Madrid passed him. When you’re at Barcelona you have to watch over your organization and have your own opinion.

Can the idea of ​​playing a game in Miami be taken up again?

It’s in our plans. The NBA and the NFL do it and there is no talk of adulterated competitions as has been done here. It would be great news to play there or elsewhere. There is an open judicial process because the Federation put sticks, like everything that LaLiga proposes. We hope to do it in the medium term, in two or four years. It’s on the plan with CVC.

With the Federation is there any possibility of understanding or rapprochement?

It is very complicated when everything starts with a no. Now they have some economic contributions on the table, from the plan with CVC, which we know would be very valuable and useful for the First RFEF clubs and they are not even moving with those. It is public that this money is there, because it is in the agreements. The money must be channeled through the Federation, respecting the coordination agreement that we have with them. We couldn’t do it directly.

There is talk that in the future the Spanish teams can jump the stock market.

There are already several clubs on the stock market. Manchester United, Porto, Juventus… In the end, it’s not a League or CVC project, it must be a club project. When you are on the stock market, they have much higher standards of demand and transparency. In addition to being able to access much more orderly financing or capital increases. We have not seen it here, but I trust that in the coming years we will see some sure example.

What do you think of the Super League?

You have to make a reflection. They keep working on it. They tried the Super League and it was ridiculous. In three days, the entire soccer ecosystem told them, including several of the clubs that were inside, that they do not want her. Just like what happened with the call Sustainable Project, which did not respond to the needs of the clubs. No matter how much noise they made, they did not convince any club.

Both projects are promoted by Real Madrid. Is there a possibility of rapprochement with them? Can LaLiga be allowed to face Madrid?

I wish Madrid would work with all the clubs in the Impulse Plan for the growth of the competition. It is our locomotive and it would be the one with which we could really grow much more. LaLiga what will not be is under the orders of Madrid. This is decided by majority.