Real Madrid and Barça fail to show for LaLiga TV rights meeting

Real Madrid and FC Barcelona didn't attend today's meeting of LaLiga's Audiovisual Rights Authority. It's the first time since the body was set up that both Barça and Madrid haven't attended one of their meetings. Their absence was in protest of LaLiga's decision to include the European Superleague as one of the items on the agenda of today's meeting.

Representatives from Real Madrid and Barcelona felt that discussing the Superleague project at today's meeting was irrelevant. The Authority does not usually talk about other, external competitions, according to Article 10 of Títle V in the XI Edition of the General Regulations. The Superleague was the third item in the order of today's meeting. As soon as Real Madrid and Barcelona received the order of the today, an email was sent explaining that they would not be attending a meeting to discuss the European Superleague with a body which is not authorised to do so. Apart from expressing their disapproval for the item's inclusion in the order of the day, Madrid also complained about the documentation which they had been sent on the matter as it consisted of press cuttings which had been subsidised by LaLiga.

During the meeting, aside from talking about the Superleague, LaLiga president Javier Tebas,  made reference to how the new format of the Champions League might look, an issue which neither is part of the Audiovisual Rights Authority's remit. Atlético CEO and LaLiga vice-presient Miguel Ángel Gil Marín admitted to haveing no knowledge of the European Superleague project,  adding that nobody had informed him about it and that he is strongly against it. His words were applauded and seconded by Alavés president Alfonso Fernández Trocóniz.