top of page
Search

The Centralization of Mexican Football: Modernization or Control Strategy?

Updated: Jan 20

Apollo Global Management’s proposal to invest between $1.25 and $1.3 billion in Liga BBVA MX has sparked intense debate about its true nature and purpose. While proponents present it as a revolutionary project aimed at modernizing and professionalizing Mexican football, a deeper analysis suggests it could be a carefully crafted maneuver to consolidate the power of major broadcasters Grupo Televisa and TV Azteca. This conflict of interest highlights tensions between the autonomy of clubs, the pursuit of commercial profitability, and the need for structural change in Mexican football.


Apollo proposes a significant investment in exchange for 10% of the revenue from international broadcasting rights and commercial properties of Liga MX over the next 50 years. This model has been seen in other European leagues, even though with some differences. In this case, the deal includes centralizing broadcasting rights, modernizing stadiums, and strengthening youth development programs. Additionally, Apollo requires that 85% of funds allocated to each club be used exclusively for infrastructure, prohibiting their use for salaries or debts. However, these conditions come with controversial elements, such as the elimination of promotion and relegation and an unequal revenue distribution that would perpetuate the gap between large and small clubs.


Historical context is key to understanding the implications of this proposal. For decades, Televisa and TV Azteca dominated Mexican football, controlling broadcasting rights for most clubs. This model began to fragment over a decade ago when teams like Chivas, Monterrey, León, and Pachuca started exploring alternatives with platforms like Fox Sports and ESPN. Even Chivas innovated with its own streaming channel, Chivas TV, albeit with mixed results. More recently, the entry of international players such as Amazon Prime and Apple TV has posed a direct threat to the traditional broadcasting model, offering clubs new monetization opportunities. In this context, Apollo’s proposal seems more like an attempt to safeguard Liga MX’s ecosystem from these disruptions than a genuine effort to transform Mexican football.



The most obvious beneficiaries of this agreement would be Televisa and TV Azteca, which seek to regain centralized control over broadcasting rights and secure long-term stable income. Their influence within the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) would also be further consolidated, strengthening their ability to shape the structure of Mexican football to suit their interests. Other beneficiaries would include small and medium-sized clubs like Querétaro, Mazatlán, and Necaxa, which would receive significant resources they couldn’t otherwise generate. However, these benefits come with restrictive conditions that would limit their financial autonomy.


On the other hand, potential losers include today’s strongest clubs and those in the “opposition camp,” such as Tigres, Monterrey, Chivas, Cruz Azul, Pumas, Toluca, Pachuca, and León. These teams, which have demonstrated their ability to generate solid revenues and negotiate independent deals, would be forced to cede autonomy and align with a model that doesn’t necessarily reflect their needs or ambitions. The unequal distribution of revenues, granting significantly larger shares to already well-resourced clubs, reinforces the league’s structural inequalities and raises doubts about the true objective of the proposal.


Beyond the commercial aspect, Mexican football faces a sporting crisis that this initiative does not seem to address. The Mexican national team’s performance has been disappointing in recent years, reflecting failures in nurturing domestic talent. The over-reliance on foreign players in Liga MX, lack of incentives to invest in youth academies, and the absence of an integrated strategy for young talent development are structural problems ignored by this proposal. Worse, the elimination of promotion and relegation could exacerbate the situation by reducing competitiveness and disincentivizing investment in lower divisions.


Apollo’s proposal presents a crossroads for Mexican football. On the one hand, it promises modernization, financial stability, and greater international projection. On the other, it demands significant sacrifices in autonomy and could perpetuate a model that prioritizes commercial interests over sporting development. If the strongest clubs, such as Tigres, Monterrey, Cruz Azul, and Chivas, accept these conditions without question, they risk becoming vassals of the television duopoly, sacrificing their independence for a long-term revenue promise they don’t necessarily need. However, if they choose to resist, they could lead structural changes that benefit not only their institutions but Mexican football as a whole.


Ultimately, this proposal will not only define the commercial future of Liga MX but also its relevance as a sporting spectacle. The true transformation of Mexican football will require much more than modern infrastructure and centralized rights. It needs a strategy that prioritizes competitiveness, talent development, and long-term sustainability. Without these elements, any investment will be little more than a superficial fix for the structural problems that have held Mexican football back for decades.

Recent Posts

See All

Comentarios


© 2024 by Four Nations Football Consulting

bottom of page