La Liga can close gap on Premier League in spending - Deloitte
The Premier League dominated this summer's transfer market with a record £1.165 billion spent, after a new television deal that will net English clubs £5.136bn, a 70 percent increase, over the next three years kicked in.
Yet Spain's La Liga is expected to rival the Premier League in spending in future years to come, according to Deloitte's sports business division. Spain's new broadcast deal is worth a minimum €2.65bn (£1.86bn) for the next three seasons, representing a significant increase to their income too.
"There is a closing of the gap," Deloitte senior manager Tim Bridge told AFP. "In the future, we predict the Spanish league will come second to the EPL [English Premier League] and there is no reason why they can't kick on and generate the same amount in TV money."
Manchester United paid Juventus a word-record fee of €£89.3 million to bring French midfielder Paul Pogba back to Old Trafford, while 13 of the 20 clubs broke their transfer records.
Barcelona, who spent €122m (£100m) to acquire six players this summer, were the biggest spenders in a relatively quiet summer in Spain's top flight. La Liga clubs spent a combined €492.2m (£413.89m) on new players.
Barca's two biggest purchases were both from Valencia, Andre Gomes and Paco Alcacer, costing a combined €65m (£55.25m). And the Catalan club's director of professional sports, Albert Soler, has admitted he is concerned by the financial advantage English teams have.
La Liga has now followed the Premier League in negotiating a collective TV deal, whereas before clubs did individual contracts with Barca and Real Madrid taking almost 50 percent of the total revenue.
"The key for me is the development of the Spanish league," Bridge added. "They have gone out to sell TV rights centrally and seen an initial rise in how much they can generate, which is significant."
La Liga have taken measures to improve its brand, including fining clubs which allow empty seats to be in view when games are being shown on television.
"They are trying to create a product that is more available and appropriate for a global audience which is what is driving the value alongside what is going on on the pitch," Bridge said. "If you watch the EPL now, it is a product.
"They have created something. The grass is the greenest it can ever be, the stadia are always full, or nearly full, and the product is very attractive."
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