LFP President Astiazaran wants Spanish fans to make sacrifices for the betterment of La Liga
LFP President, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Spain-c3011.
Astiazaran gave his comments while chairing the 'Breakfast European Sports Press' sponsored by the ADO, Liberbank, State Lotteries and Gambling (LAE).
La Liga clubs are being forced to play earlier at noon in the scorching heat, which has not been received well by managers and fans alike.
Spanish giants, Real Madrid and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Barcelona-c38604 have been exempted from this treatment thus far, but the status quo is set to be changed.
Real Madrid will host Osasuna at Santiago Bernabéu in the 12th match day; the kick-off time scheduled by LFP is noon.
The timing of the match will break previously set precedents.
Playing matches at noon mean that viewers from Asia can easily watch the fixtures during peak hours. Fixtures at noon translate to 19 00 hours in Tokyo and an hour earlier for audiences in Beijing.
Astiazaran has recognized that the new schedules will be demanding on the fans, but they should understand that they are searching for new economic avenues, and playing earlier broadens their horizons.
He added that in order to grow and be the best, this will require sacrifices to be made from everyone.
Astiazaran said: "Currently there are nine operators that broadcast television in Spain. Some schedules involve sacrifices for the fans, but everyone should understand that being the best demands sacrifices."
La Liga is most watched in Americas and in Asian countries. The changes in kick-off time have been customized so that audiences from these regions are enticed to Spanish football.
"Our league is the most watched in Americas, after the local areas it is second most-watched in Asian countries like http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/China-c8926," Astiazaran stated as his reasoning.
He also explained that these decisions are not taken with a prejudice but with a greater plan in the hindsight. Politics of the land have to be discarded if they have to grow beyond their current perimeters.
Astiazaran explained that "no decision on changing times is taken for or against each other." They are only thinking of a better and more flexible way to coordinate among the many television operators broadcasting Spanish top tier football.
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