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To add to the endless list of things that have got the lot of us glued to our phones and computers, here is a brand new entrant that comes with a hood, side panels, skirts and afterburners- live footballing action from the greatest league in the world, La Liga.
Yes, you can now watch Lionel Messi ending careers and twisting ankles on your phone through Facebook. What's the catch, you ask? It comes free of cost.
In a first of its kind move, La Liga announced a free-to-air deal with Facebook for the Indian subcontinent for the next three years.
Sony Pictures Network India's deal that seated them as the exclusive broadcasters of La Liga has run its course and now the games will be available solely on Facebook for the next three years.
In a brisk-paced world where our phones have become our window to the outside world, this is quite a revolutionary step in the realm of football broadcasting. As a result, you don't need to rush back home, or stand by the bar in a pub or worry about paying revenue to catch your favourite team in action anymore. All you will need to do is log on to Facebook and watch the previews, live telecast and highlights at your convenience.
Facebook's director of global sports told Reuters that it is still an experiment and not a land grab of sorts broadcasting rights.
“This is one deal."
“It’s not something that is a big threat to broadcast world.”
Meanwhile, Jose Antonio Cachaza, head of La Liga in India said,
“This is the first step for us. We’re excited to see it and we want make it as successful as possible so we can unlock other territories around the world.”
The move is buoyed by the fact that India is touted to have about 500 million people that are internet-connected this year, in addition to the relative affordability of mobile data in the country.
Facebook had earlier tried to break into India's sports broadcasting market with and had placed a £610 million bid to secure the broadcasting rights of the Indian Premier League. After failing in their attempt, Facebook kicked on and have now returned with the rights to broadcast one of the best football leagues in the world in a move that will undoubtedly revolutionize sports consumption.
