Two points separate FC Barcelona and Real Madrid atop the LaLiga standings. Five points separate five clubs between Sevilla (47 points) and Valencia (42) battling for the other two UEFA Champions League spots. As many as six clubs may be fighting for their lives in a relegation battle with a mere four points between No. 15 Valladolid (29 points) and No. 18 RCD Mallorca (25), currently in the drop zone.
The stage is set for plenty of drama as LaLiga restarts its 2019-20 season behind closed doors, beginning June 11 with El Gran Derbi between Sevilla and Real Betis. A whopping 110 matches will follow over the ensuing 39 days.
Spain’s top division couldn’t ask for a better opportunity to showcase itself, especially in the United States, with many still sheltering in place as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
“This is our moment and hopefully we’re able to grow not only the attention and awareness of LaLiga, but also of soccer in general, and hopefully we get some of those baseball fans, football fans and NBA fans to watch more soccer,” LaLiga North America CEO Boris Gartner said. “Leading to the 2026 World Cup, my point has always been that the more anyone can do to create more attention around soccer, the better, so hopefully once you have all the European competitions back and the Champions League, we help to push that momentum.
“It’s our moment and we’re going to go all-in this next week-and-a-half before the other leagues come back and make sure LaLiga is front and center.”
LaLiga is the second major European soccer league to begin play again after the sporting world was paused because of COVID-19. Germany’s Bundesliga returned on May 16 with the Premier League and Serie A scheduled to restart June 17 and June 20, respectively. Ligue 1 cancelled its season on April 28, though UEFA recently left the door open for a potential restart prior to August 2.
Major sports in North America are slowly beginning again, with the NBA announcing July 31 as its restart date in Orlando. The NHL nixed the remainder of its regular season in favor of a 24-team playoff with dates and locations to be announced. MLS and its players avoided a potential lockout by agreeing to a new collective bargaining agreement, paving the way for a 2020 restart. MLB and its players’ union are going back and forth over the best course of action.
Other sports have restarted as well, including the UFC, which held its first live event on May 9 while Nascar returned to the track on May 17. The NWSL will hold its Challenge Cup from June 27 to July 26.
“I think that the work we’ve done with LaLiga here in the U.S. for the past two years puts us in a really strong position to capitalize on the next couple of weeks having LaLiga being top and center for U.S. fans, soccer and non-soccer. Yes, the Bundesliga has come back but I don’t think anyone could say the Bundesliga has historically had a bigger following than LaLiga.
“For us, this is the first major league that’s coming back that has a big and loyal following and we want to make sure we take advantage of that.”
The league already has seen an increase in interest before the restart. LaLiga North America’s content averaged 768,000 monthly video views across online platforms from January through March. With the pandemic sweeping the globe, people limited to their homes and sports on pause, that monthly average grew to 1.03 million views (+34%) in April and May, with a high of 1.4 million views in May.
LaLiga is further expanding its presence and celebration of the restart by implementing 80 initiatives and events outside of Spain, including urban artwork as part of United Streets of LaLiga and exhibitions above city streets, viewing parties, live shows, and digital campaigns with influencers, broadcasters and media.
“If what we’ve seen with our digital content over the past couple of weeks is indicative of what the telecasts should deliver, I think it’s going to be a pretty good run,” Gartner said.
The Bundesliga’s return drew record viewership in Germany—Sky Deutschland had figures of 5 million across linear and on-demand channels—and abroad, including increased ratings and viewership in the United States. The match between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke hit a record high with a .33, the best metered market rating ever for a Bundesliga telecast on FS1.
Gartner admitted LaLiga has been in close and constant conversation with the Bundesliga, analyzing what works and what doesn’t work with anything from broadcast to health and safety measures for players and staff.
All LaLiga matches will be played without fans for the remainder of the season, though league president Javier Tebas is open to having fans return “as soon as they are allowed to be back.” Other health and safety protocols for the restart include: exclusive stadium access for players, coaches and authorized personnel, who are required to wear masks and gloves, benches will be extended to provide more social distancing, pre-match handshakes are suspended, uniforms will be changed at halftime, and post-match press conferences will be conducted remotely.
Like other leagues, the empty stands will be virtualized to project images of fans in home team colors; applause will sound out during the 20th minute of each match to pay tribute to the heroes of the pandemic as well as honor those who lost their lives. LaLiga is working with EA Sports to broadcast in-stadium sounds, chants and jeers that broadcasters can offer to viewers. With no fans in the stands, some cameras will change locations, an aerial cam will offer new angles, and a robotic camera will be utilized in the tunnel for health and safety reasons.
“The fact that the Bundesliga was able to resume first has been a great test case for us,” Gartner said. “There’s constant and close collaboration. All of those things are helpful for us to develop our protocols as well. European soccer has never been this united in recent history, and it’s sad it took this, but the fact that we’re there I think is very encouraging.”
Former Atlético Madrid and Villarreal star Diego Forlán encouraged players to adopt and abide by the new health and safety protocols in this new normal for the unforeseeable future. The Uruguayan striker also said playing without fans will be a change, but it’s something soccer players, unlike actors and actresses in theater, are able to do.
“It’s going to be different for everybody,” Forlán said. “Playing without fans is not that easy, it’s not the same. It’s going to be a new thing for everybody, so you have to adjust. It’s not going to be the same, but at least you’re going to have the competition and it’s something everyone is looking at.”
Michael LoRé 