Liga F: No Access, Growing Frustration

We are already four games into the season and Liga F still hasn't acquired broadcasting for fans outside of Spain. Under multiple Liga F post are floods of comments from overseas fans, voicing their frustrations at not being able to watch the league.

This issue began after DAZN decided to terminate their contract with Liga F a year early. They felt that the league wasn't bringing sufficient profit to make their investment worth the effort. The final season would have cost 7 million within the 35 million 5-year deal, however the league had resorted to lowering the price by 2 million euros in attempts to secure a new investor quickly. Consequently, Liga F have been left with no broadcast options for outside of Spain, something that feels absurd when we consider the massive strides being made in the WSL.

As someone who watched Liga F weekly last year on DAZN, it is truly disappointing that now I have to buy a VPN and see if I can stream it on a spanish website, or alternatively find Youtube streaming services where every 15 minutes of the game has a separate stream to access. The difficulty of this, and the lack of picture quality when I eventually access the game, makes the experience unenjoyable.

Therefore, it would seem appropriate for Liga F to look at leagues like the WSL who have bought in an ever-growing audience, in order to rebrand successfully. The WSL didn't start with a massive paid broadcasting contract, in fact they begun with free global streaming services, then pivoted to Youtube, and eventually Sky Sports. Their journey meant that the platforms they used for games grew alongside the audience it was bringing in, making it a smooth transition. Liga F, however, have perhaps overestimated their audience and created expectations that are premature for the league's current attraction. The aim should be to make the games accessible for as many people as possible, not limit its reach.

Photo Credit: @fcbfemeni

Photo Credit: @atletifemenino

Alexia Putellas has raised this same point, but instead in regards to WSL games being hard to access outside of the UK. She's using her brand "Eleven" to create a streaming service, "Eleven TV", that will grant people living in Spain the ability to watch a WSL game each week. It was her grandma that propelled her to take action, who had asked about where she could stream the London City Lionesses matches and Putellas couldn't give her an answer. Putellas has recognised, and found solution for, the issues regarding overseas broadcasts, and pledges that other Latin speaking countries will soon be able to watch WSL games on the platform too.

This same ambition is something that fans would hope to be mirrored when it comes to Liga F games, from either the league itself or teams that demand better coverage.

This neglect is especially significant when we draw attention to the summer transfer window, with Liga F spending the second highest at 6.6 million, just below the WSL at 8 million. The teams are undeniably investing, however the league's inability to sufficiently advertise itself is subverting these efforts.

With women's football expected to exceed 800 million fans by 2030 it feels like Liga F is falling behind: players can't get global recognition during the domestic season, fans are blocked from watching their favourite teams and players, all while other leagues are continuing to grow.