Mediapro

Corporate brand

Spanish multimedia communications group specializing in audiovisual production, sports media rights, television, film, and advertising.

Last updated August 22, 2026

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Overview

Mediapro, formally Mediaproducción, S.L.U., is a Spanish multimedia communications group founded in Barcelona in April 1994. Its activities span television and film production, audiovisual services, advertising-related communications, and the acquisition, management, distribution, and exploitation of sports media rights. The company operates as both a production-services business and a rights-and-content enterprise, connecting sports organizations and leagues with broadcasters, subscription platforms, television channels, and other distribution outlets. The group developed an international operating footprint from its Spanish base. Its branch offices and operating entities have included locations in Madrid, Seville, Girona, Lisbon, Madeira, Rabat, Budapest, Miami, Buenos Aires, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Rio de Janeiro, Porto, Qatar, Amsterdam, and Tenerife. This network supports production and media-rights activity across Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, and other international markets. The company’s work has included television production, film and audiovisual production, sports broadcasting, channel development, and the packaging or distribution of sports content for public and commercial audiences. Sports rights have been a particularly visible part of Mediapro’s international business. In Canada, the company became the exclusive media-rights holder for Canada Soccer in 2019, covering the Canadian Premier League, the Canadian Championship, and national-team matches. It subsequently launched OneSoccer, a subscription service intended to carry this content. The Canadian arrangement later became contentious: Canadian Soccer Business withdrew the rights in January 2024 and began legal action, alleging missed rights payments and inadequate expansion of sublicensing to conventional television networks. Mediapro disputed the allegations and argued that the rights holder had not met its own obligations. The parties ultimately settled, allowing Mediapro to leave the contract at the end of 2024 and providing for the divestment of OneSoccer to a company controlled by one of Canadian Soccer Business’s chairmen. Mediapro also made a major bid for French football rights. In 2018, France’s Ligue de Football Professionnel awarded the company four of the five principal packages for Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 for the 2020–21 through 2023–24 seasons. Mediapro partnered with TF1 Group to create Téléfoot as the intended broadcast outlet. The project encountered severe financial pressure during its first season, including missed rights payments and a dispute over the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mediapro and the LFP agreed in December 2020 to terminate the arrangement. In Latin America, Mediapro expanded through the acquisition of Fox Sports Argentina from The Walt Disney Company. Argentina’s competition authority required the divestiture of the network as a condition connected with Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox. Mediapro announced the purchase in February 2022, and the transaction received approval in April of that year. The company’s ownership structure has included Southwind as majority shareholder, with minority positions held by WPP and the founding partner. Mediapro’s present profile is therefore that of an internationally active, privately held media group whose capabilities combine production infrastructure, sports-rights expertise, subscription and channel operations, and advertising or communications services. Its history also illustrates the financial and contractual risks inherent in sports-rights businesses, particularly when rights fees, audience reach, sublicensing, and platform economics fail to develop as anticipated.

History

Mediapro was established in Barcelona in April 1994 under the legal name Mediaproducción, S.L.U. It developed as a multimedia communications group with activities in film and television production and later broadened its role across audiovisual services, advertising-related communications, broadcasting, and sports media rights. Rather than operating only as a conventional production studio, Mediapro built capabilities covering the creation, technical production, packaging, distribution, and commercial exploitation of media content. The company’s expansion was supported by an international network of offices and operating entities. In addition to its Spanish locations in Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, Girona, and Tenerife, the group has maintained operations or branches in Portugal, Morocco, Hungary, the United States, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Qatar, the Netherlands, and other markets. This geographic structure enabled Mediapro to produce content locally, provide international production services, and pursue sports-rights opportunities beyond Spain. Sports became one of the group’s most prominent areas of activity. Mediapro’s business model in this field involved obtaining rights from leagues, federations, and competitions, then distributing the resulting content through television channels, subscription products, sublicensing arrangements, and other media outlets. In Canada, Canadian Soccer Business selected Mediapro in February 2019 as the exclusive media-rights holder for Canada Soccer. The agreement included the Canadian Premier League, the Canadian Championship, and national-team fixtures. Mediapro launched OneSoccer in April 2019 as a subscription service designed to carry that portfolio. The Canadian project later became a major contractual dispute. In January 2024, Canadian Soccer Business withdrew the media and broadcast rights and commenced legal action. CSB argued that Mediapro had missed rights payments and had not achieved sufficient distribution through sublicensing arrangements with linear television networks. Mediapro rejected that account and maintained that CSB had also failed to fulfill commitments, including commitments relating to the growth of the Canadian Premier League. The parties subsequently reached a settlement. Under the settlement, Mediapro could exit the contract at the end of 2024, while OneSoccer was to be divested to a company controlled by one of CSB’s chairmen. Mediapro also pursued a high-profile opportunity in France. On 29 May 2018, the Ligue de Football Professionnel awarded the company four of the five main media-rights lots for Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 for the 2020–21 through 2023–24 seasons. To distribute the rights, Mediapro formed a partnership with TF1 Group and created Téléfoot. The arrangement was intended to establish a substantial new football broadcaster in the French market. However, the service faced financial difficulties almost immediately. Mediapro missed two early rights payments and sought to renegotiate the agreement, citing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economics of football and broadcasting. In December 2020, Mediapro and the LFP agreed to end the contract. The group later expanded its Latin American portfolio through the proposed acquisition of Fox Sports Argentina. Argentina’s competition authority had required Disney to divest the network as part of the regulatory process surrounding Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox. Mediapro announced the transaction on 15 February 2022, and the competition authority approved it on 27 April 2022. Mediapro’s ownership has included Southwind as majority shareholder, with minority stakes held by WPP and the founding partner. The company remains an international media business centered on audiovisual production and sports content. Its history combines geographic expansion and rights-led growth with episodes demonstrating the capital requirements, audience risks, distribution challenges, and regulatory obligations associated with modern sports broadcasting.

2024
Canada Soccer rights dispute settled
[1]Mediaproen.wikipedia.org
After CSB withdrew rights and initiated legal action, the parties reached a settlement permitting Mediapro to leave the agreement at the end of 2024 and providing for OneSoccer’s divestment.
2022
Mediapro announced the purchase of Fox Sports Argentina
[1]Mediaproen.wikipedia.org
Mediapro announced an agreement to acquire Fox Sports Argentina from Disney following a competition-law divestiture requirement.
2022
Fox Sports Argentina transaction approved
[1]Mediaproen.wikipedia.org
Argentina’s competition authority approved the sale of Fox Sports Argentina to Mediapro on 27 April 2022.
2020
Téléfoot launched as Mediapro’s French football channel
[1]Mediaproen.wikipedia.org
Mediapro and TF1 Group introduced Téléfoot to distribute Mediapro’s newly acquired Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 rights.
2020
French football rights contract terminated
[1]Mediaproen.wikipedia.org
Mediapro and the LFP agreed to end their French football-rights contract after payment difficulties and renegotiation efforts during the COVID-19 period.
2019
Mediapro became Canada Soccer’s exclusive media-rights holder
[1]Mediaproen.wikipedia.org
Canadian Soccer Business selected Mediapro for exclusive rights to the Canadian Premier League, the Canadian Championship, and Canada Soccer national-team matches.
2019
OneSoccer launched
[1]Mediaproen.wikipedia.org
Mediapro launched OneSoccer as a Canadian subscription service for the football properties covered by its Canada Soccer agreement.
2018
Mediapro acquired major French football rights packages
[1]Mediaproen.wikipedia.org
The Ligue de Football Professionnel awarded Mediapro four of the five principal Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 rights packages for the 2020–21 through 2023–24 seasons.
1994
Mediapro founded in Barcelona
[1]Mediaproen.wikipedia.org
Mediaproducción, S.L.U., later known as Mediapro, was established in Barcelona in April 1994 as a multimedia communications and audiovisual-production company.

Products and positioning

An internationally operating Spanish media group combining audiovisual production with sports-rights management, broadcasting, channel development, subscription services, and advertising-related communications.

Audiovisual production
Television production
Mediapro produces television content and provides related audiovisual capabilities through its production network. Its work forms part of a broader business that combines content creation, technical production, packaging, and distribution across Spanish and international markets.
Film and television
Film and audiovisual production
Film and audiovisual production is one of Mediapro’s foundational activities. The company operates as a multimedia production group rather than solely as a sports-rights intermediary, using its international infrastructure to support content and production work in multiple markets.
Subscription sports service · 2019
OneSoccer
OneSoccer was launched in Canada in 2019 as a subscription platform for football content covered by Mediapro’s Canada Soccer agreement. Its planned portfolio included Canadian Premier League matches, the Canadian Championship, and national-team games. Following the later settlement between Mediapro and Canadian Soccer Business, the service was to be divested to a company controlled by one of CSB’s chairmen.
Sports television channel · 2020
Téléfoot
Téléfoot was created through a partnership between Mediapro and TF1 Group to carry Mediapro’s French Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 rights. The channel was part of Mediapro’s attempt to build a direct French football-distribution operation, but the underlying rights contract was terminated in December 2020 after payment difficulties.
Sports broadcasting
Sports media-rights services
Mediapro acquires, manages, produces, and distributes sports media rights for leagues, federations, and competitions. The business can include channel creation, subscription distribution, sublicensing to broadcasters, and international packaging of live sports content.
Advertising and communications
Advertising and multimedia communications
Advertising and multimedia communications complement Mediapro’s production and broadcasting operations. The company’s communications-group structure allows it to work across audiovisual content, commercial messaging, and media-related services.

Controversies

2024
Canada Soccer Business rights and payment dispute
Canadian Soccer Business withdrew media and broadcast rights from Mediapro and initiated legal action over alleged missed payments and insufficient television sublicensing reach. Mediapro disputed the allegations and raised counterclaims concerning CSB’s obligations. The dispute was later settled.
Source
2020
French football-rights payment dispute
Mediapro missed two rights payments during the first season of its French Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 contract and sought renegotiation, citing the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact. The company and the LFP agreed to terminate the contract in December 2020.
Source

2022
Acquire Fox Sports ArgentinaM&A
Background
Argentina required Disney to divest Fox Sports Argentina in connection with regulatory approval of Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox.
Action taken
Mediapro announced the acquisition in February 2022, and Argentina’s competition authority approved the sale in April 2022.
Aftermath
The transaction expanded Mediapro’s sports-media presence in Argentina.
Source
2020
Exit the French Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 rights contractOther
Background
Mediapro missed two payments early in the first season and sought to renegotiate the agreement, pointing to the financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Action taken
Mediapro and the LFP agreed to end the contract rather than continue the original rights arrangement.
Aftermath
The decision ended Mediapro’s planned multi-season French football-rights operation and its associated Téléfoot strategy.
Source
2019
Launch OneSoccer for Canadian football rightsProduct launch
Background
Mediapro had secured exclusive Canada Soccer media rights, including domestic competitions and national-team matches.
Action taken
It launched OneSoccer as a subscription service intended to distribute the acquired football content directly to Canadian viewers.
Aftermath
The service later became part of the contractual dispute with Canadian Soccer Business and was slated for divestment under the eventual settlement.
Source
2018
Pursue a major French football-rights positionStrategy
Background
The LFP was selling the principal media packages for Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 for the 2020–21 through 2023–24 seasons.
Action taken
Mediapro acquired four of the five main packages and partnered with TF1 Group to create Téléfoot.
Aftermath
Payment difficulties led Mediapro and the LFP to terminate the agreement in December 2020.
Source

Recent events

2022
Mediapro announced the acquisition of Fox Sports Argentina[1]Mediaproen.wikipedia.org
M&A
Mediapro announced that it would acquire Fox Sports Argentina from Disney following an Argentine competition-authority requirement that the network be divested in connection with Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox.
2022
Argentina approved Mediapro’s Fox Sports Argentina acquisition[1]Mediaproen.wikipedia.org
M&A · Regulation
Argentina’s competition authority approved the sale of Fox Sports Argentina to Mediapro after reviewing the divestiture required in connection with Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox.
2020
Mediapro and TF1 Group created Téléfoot[1]Mediaproen.wikipedia.org
Product launch
Mediapro partnered with TF1 Group to establish Téléfoot as the channel intended to distribute Mediapro’s French football rights.
2019
Mediapro appointed exclusive Canada Soccer media-rights holder[1]Mediaproen.wikipedia.org
Other
Canadian Soccer Business announced that Mediapro would hold exclusive media rights covering the Canadian Premier League, the Canadian Championship, and Canada Soccer national-team matches.
2019
Mediapro launched OneSoccer in Canada[1]Mediaproen.wikipedia.org
Product launch
Mediapro introduced OneSoccer as a subscription service for Canadian domestic and national-team football content acquired through its Canada Soccer rights agreement.
2018
Mediapro won major Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 rights packages[1]Mediaproen.wikipedia.org
Product launch · Other
France’s Ligue de Football Professionnel awarded Mediapro four of the five principal media-rights packages for Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 covering the 2020–21 through 2023–24 seasons.

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