La Liga start date still unknown as court delays decision
http://www.hrlnews.com/2019/08/la-liga-start-date-still-unknown-as.html
The time and date of La Liga’s opening games of the season may not be
decided until days before the first match kicks off after a court
postponed its decision on Wednesday.
La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation are locked in another
bitter dispute, with the RFEF trying to ban fixtures taking place on
Friday and Monday nights this term.
A commercial court in Madrid heard the case for over four hours on
Wednesday but a decision may not be made until Friday or even Monday,
four days before the league had been due to begin.
The division’s curtain-raiser was due to take place between Athletic
Bilbao and Barcelona at Bilbao’s San Mames Stadium on Friday, August 16,
as announced by La Liga at the start of last month.
San Mames Stadium on Friday, August 16, as announced by La Liga at the start of last month.
The opening round of games also included two matches on Monday,
August 19 when Mallorca was down to host Eibar, and Real Betis expected
to play at home to Real Valladolid.
But RFEF president Luis Rubiales has claimed fixtures can only be
played this season on Fridays and Mondays with the approval of the RFEF.
La Liga argues it has the authority to set the dates and times of the
calendar and that removing Friday and Monday matches would put existing
television deals in jeopardy.
“Broadcasters would begin to negotiate 30 per cent downwards,” warned
Jaume Roures, the president of Mediapro, who was presented as a witness
by La Liga. “It would have very significant economic consequences,”
Roures added.
The RFEF insisted the previous agreement with La Liga that allowed matches to be played on Friday and Monday expired in June.
The slots have proven controversial in Spain, where Friday and
Monday’s games have attracted disappointing attendances and been
reserved primarily for the league’s lower teams.
Alaves supporters protested during a Monday match against Levante in
February. Some fans boycotted kick-off while others carried a black
coffin around the stadium, to symbolise the death of Spanish football.