TO ALL FOOTBALL FANS

LIGA JUSTA (the “Fair League”) is the idea of a group of Spanish football’s fans, who are concerned about the lack of competitiveness within the Spanish LIGA BBVA (hereinafter, “La LIGA”). As a result, the first and second pots are exclusively reserved for R.Madrid and FC Barcelona, which are the only teams able of winning the league.

Main cause of this problem is how La LIGA distributes the money of TV rights among the different La LIGA’s teams. The current distribution of the Broadcast Rights is as follow:

• R. Madrid €140,000,000
• FC Barcelona € 140,000,000
• C. At. Madrid €42,000,000
• Valencia CF €42,000,000
• Villareal CF €25,000,000
• Sevilla FC €24,000,000
• Ath. C. Bilbao €18,000,000
• Getafe CF €17,000,000
• R. Zaragoza €14,000,000
• Deportivo Coruña €14,000,000
• RCD Espanyol €13,700,000
• R. Mallorca €13,700,000
• C. At. Osasuna €13,000,000
• UD Almeria €12,500,000
• RC Racing Santander €12,500,000
• Sporting Gijon €12,000,000
• Malaga CF €12,000,000
• UD Levante €12,000,000
• Hercules Alicante €12,000,000

Thus, Real Madrid CF or FC Barcelona earns €128,000,000 (£108,665,000) more than the last La LIGA team, €98,000,000 (£83,196,000) more than the third club in earnings (Atletico de Madrid), and €116,000,000 (£98,446,000) in relation to a Champions League Team like Villareal CF. These earnings are not based on the performance of the teams. Unlike in Spain, in England the difference between the first team in TV broadcasting right (Manchester United) and the last one (Middlesbrough) is of £23,000,000 (during the season 2009/2010). This difference only amounts to £4,500,000 in relation to team in position three. For further details please see the illustration below, which compare how TV money is distributed in Germany, France, England and Spain.

The current agreement on distribution of Spanish TV Rights will terminate in 2014. For the years following 2014 the Spanish clubs are negotiating a new agreement, which should govern the new distribution of TV money. Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, considering “insufficient” their respective current status, are trying to impose a new system in which the money will be distributed in the following manner:

1. R. Madrid and FC Barcelona €157,000,000

2. At. Madrid and Valencia CF €45,000,000

3. The remaining clubs €26,000,000.

This system will increase the current differences between Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and the other La LIGA’s teams. With the system proposed by these two teams, it might be impossible that clubs like Valencia CF, Atletico Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, FC Sevilla, Villareal CF, Real Sociedad, Real Betis or Real Zaragoza even compete for winning La LIGA. All future seasons in the Spanish Primera Division will be a repetition of the last seasons 2009/10 and 2010/11, in which FC Barcelona was champions 28 points and 25 points ahead of Valencia CF (3rd) and 36 of Sevilla FC (4th in 09/10) and 34 of Villareal CF (4th in 10/11). Through this system R. Madrid and FC Barcelona will perpetuate at the first and second position. As result, we will have a death and unattractive competition.

Furthermore, as Real Madrid and FC Barcelona will earn more than €90,000,000 (£80,000,000) than Arsenal, Manchester Utd, Chelsea or Liverpool, they will have a huge competitive advantage for winning every year Champions League title (and the money associated to it). The differences from R. Madrid and FC Barcelona will be every year greater, not only in comparison with the Spanish teams, but also, in the medium- and long term, to other European teams of the importance of Bayern Muenchen, Manchester United, Liverpool FC, Arsenal FC, HSV, Internationale, AC Milan, Schalke 04, Juventus. AS Rom, Tottenham hotspurs, Everton FC, etc.

Against this proposal, some La LIGA’s clubs (Villareal CF, Ath. Bilbao, Sevilla FC, RCD Espanyol, R.Zaragoza, R. Sociedad, and Real Betis) are trying to find an agreement, through which la LIGA might distribute the TV money in a similar fashion than the Premier League. Through this system, the TV broadcasting rights money will be allocated in accordance with the following criteria:

1) -- 40% of all the TV Money to be distributed equally as a fixed amount to all la LIGA’s teams

2) -- 60% depending on five different criteria: 1) PPV, 2) Historical performance of the teams, 3) 5 last-season performance of each team, 4) last year performance, and 5) money for the Second Division and Copa del Rey.

In numbers, this system proposed by these teams will result (illustrative figures) in the following distribution of TV money (based on the period between 05/06 and 09/10):

• 1) R. Madrid 88,000,000
• 2) FC Barcelona 78,000,000
• 3) At. Madrid 59,000,000
• 4) Valencia CF 53,000,000
• 5) Sevilla FC 44,000,000
• 6) Ath.Bilbao 42,000,000
• 7) Villareal 39,500,000
• 8) R. Mallorca 38,000,000
• 9) RCD Espanyol 36,500,000
• 10) Deportivo Coruna 36,500,000
• 11) Getafe 34,500,000
• 12) The remaining teams an amount between 27,500,000 and 31,000,000.

We, LIGA JUSTA, are determined to fight against the proposal of Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona, defending the competition equality and fairness. We fight for a league similar to the Premier, in which the distribution of the TV rights is carried out on a performance basis, something that tries to strengthen the competition, resulting in a more attractive league. Defending another kind of La LIGA will also benefit international teams by having a more competitive Champions League tournament.

You can find more information to this issue in the following webpage: www.ligajusta.com

Sincerely,

 LIGA JUSTA