At the ISDE Sports Convention, La Liga President Javier Tebas shared his insights on various aspects of the league, including the potential impact of Kylian Mbappe’s arrival, the competitiveness of the current season, and the complexities of audiovisual rights.
La Liga’s Competitiveness and Success
Reflecting on the season, Tebas expressed a high level of satisfaction with the overall competition in La Liga. He emphasized the league’s tight races and highlighted the success of Spanish football on the European stage.
“Rating this La Liga season? Well, on a sporting level I would give it a 9. At the League level it has been a competitive league, although, on the last day there was nothing to decide,” Tebas said. “Except for Real Madrid, the other clubs were tight to achieve their objectives, the relegation has been tight too… And the fact that Real Madrid has won the Champions League makes Spanish football crown the season with success.”
Mbappe’s Potential Impact on Real Madrid and La Liga
When asked about the potential arrival of Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid and its implications, Tebas noted that while Mbappe is an exceptional talent, his presence alone does not guarantee success.
“Does Mbappe’s arrival assure Real Madrid’s success? No, you have to play the games,” Tebas explained. “No player, no matter how good he is, guarantees success. You have PSG, they had Neymar, Messi and Mbappé and they didn’t win a single European title.”
The Role of Star Players in Audiovisual Rights
Tebas also addressed the misunderstood relationship between the presence of star players and the value of audiovisual rights.
“It is always beneficial when great players and great coaches come to La Liga,” he said. “What it does not mean, as I have read somewhere, that with Mbappe’s arrival, audiovisual rights are going to increase. Whoever says that is unaware of the world of audiovisual rights. When stars arrive in a place they have to consolidate and there has to be a lot of work around them. We have the example of Saudi Arabia, they have stars and their international audiovisual rights. I don’t see that they have broken the market. That’s not how the world of audiovisual rights works, at the national or international level.”
