More engagement for La Liga fans in Asia
La Liga fans in Asia might have more opportunities to see their favourite teams in the flesh in the coming years.
Speaking at a publicity event in Singapore yesterday, La Liga chief Javier Tebas revealed that in a bid to gain a firmer footing in Asia, the Spanish league hopes to promote engagement among fans in the region with pre-season opportunities.
He said: "When it comes to pre-season, we want to bring it closer to fans (in Asia)."
After last year's successful implementation of earlier kick-off times that made it easier for fans in Asia to catch games live, Tebas hopes to build on that by bringing forward the kick-off times of other strong teams like Atletico Madrid.
He said: "The viewership has increased by 40 per cent just by the mere fact that we changed the time. It really attracts the fans, not just those in Asia. It's important that we do this. The objective is not just to bring attention to Barcelona and Real Madrid, but all names."
Tebas also voiced his supportfor the controversial Video Assistant Referee (VAR) ahead of its introduction in La Liga next season. He said: "The criticism arises when there are mistakes, but they don't talk about it when it works. We need to bear in mind that it works perfectly most of the time." - KIMBERLY KWEK
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