Barcelona defender Gerard Pique’s company Kosmos Holding has bought the rights to Ligue 1 in Spain for the next three years after Lionel Messi’s move to Paris Saint-Germain, a source has confirmed to ESPN.
Messi’s potential debut will be shown free-to-air on the streaming service Twitch this Sunday when PSG travel to Reims. The match will be broadcast on the channel of Ibai Llanos, a Spanish streamer and esports commentator
Spanish television channel Telecinco has also paid for the right to transmit the PSG game this weekend.
Kosmos, who bought the rights in collaboration with Enjoy TV, eventually plan to sub-license them to a television channel or an OTT.
Messi has not yet featured for PSG since joining from Barcelona on a free transfer earlier this month. However, following two weeks of training with his new teammates, he’s in line to make his first appearance against Reims this weekend.
Movistar previously held the rights to French football in Spain in a deal worth “less than €2.5 million” annually, according to sources, but turned down the chance to renew them this season before Messi’s move to France.
Kosmos also bought the rights to the Copa America final in the summer. Argentina’s win over Brazil, which saw Messi win his first senior trophy in international football, was broadcast on Llanos’ Twitch channel.
The company has also recently purchased the rights to Italy’s Serie B in Spain and several other countries.
However, they failed with a bid to take on 49% of Barca Corporate, a subsidiary business at the Catalan club that houses the Barca Academy project, Barca Innovation Hub, Barca Licensing and Merchandising (BLM) and Barca Studios.
As a player in the league, the club’s statutes ruled Pique out from taking a stake in the business.
Through Kosmos, Pique has revamped coverage of tennis competition the Davis Cup in recent years. He is also the owner of Andorra, a football club that plays in the Spanish third division.
Source: ESPN
