The CNMC recommends that the RFEF not award the Cup rights “for 4 or 5 seasons”

The National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) has approved a report recommending to the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) that in the commercialization of the television rights of the Copa del Rey “assess the offers according to objective criteria and reduce the discretion of the RFEF“and to eliminate the option to” offer for four and/or five seasons.

Royal Decree-Law 5/2015 on urgent measures on the marketing of audiovisual content rights requires marketers to request from the CNMC a preliminary report on the proposed marketing conditions, which is the one issued now.

The RFEF requested the report on the exploitation of audiovisual content in Spain and Andorra of the Copa del Rey “for the 2022/23, 2023/2024, 2024/25 seasons, and where appropriate, 2025/26 and 2026/27”.

according to own CNMCamong the recommendations he has made to the RFEF figure “guarantee a competitive award procedure, which allows the greatest possible participation of bidders, within different lots and options”.

It also asks that “the principles of publicity, transparency, competitiveness and non-discrimination in the process of awarding rights be preserved, so that the offers are valued according to objective criteria and the discretion of the RFEF“.

Likewise, they must not “include faculties, reservations or ownership of rights not attributed” by the aforementioned Royal Decree-law.

The CNMC It also recommends the federation “not to impose commercial obligations related to the advertising decisions of the awardees that are unjustified and contrary to the principle of freedom of enterprise”, as well as “establish a duration of the contracts appropriate to the principles and rules of competition , and, consequently, eliminate the option that it can be offered for four and/or five seasons”.

In this way, says the report, “a system of greater competition” would be favored and the contracts would be adapted to “a duration appropriate to the principles and rules of competition.”

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