March 24 – Spain’s top division will carry on changing kick off times to suit the Asian market in a bid to increase its market share and boost brand awareness, says La Liga president Javier Tebas (pictured).
The most important games in Spain have traditionally taken place at night, which is prime time for Spanish television although the league has in recent years rescheduled some fixtures to attract a more global audience. A new fixture slot at lunchtime on Saturdays has opened up while the most recent El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona in December kicked off at 16.15 local time.
Speaking at the opening of the La Liga’s new Singapore office, its fourth in Asia after Dubai, China and India, Tebas indicated more games could be starting earlier in future seasons.
“We have changed kick off schedules so that they can be seen at reasonable times here in Asia and we will continue to take steps to ensure that this part of the world can enjoy La Liga as much as possible,” Tebas said. “For us, Singapore will be the gateway to East Asia and a platform from which to reach a far greater number of fans.”
Tebas is confident Spain can match English Premier League’s popularity in the region, citing the fact that the last three UEFA Champions League and Europa League titles have been won by Spanish clubs.
“We have the best teams and players in the world and we have already designed a stategy,” said Tebas.
“We are working very hard on branding. If you look at Sevilla, they are the Europa League champions for the past three seasons. This is just one example of how we can show our brand is more than just two clubs. “We will be listening to our supporters on our social networks so that we can respond to them according to what they want to hear and know.”
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