Spanish basketball fans are gaining wider access to the hardwood just as the season reaches its most volatile stretch. In a move that bridges the gap between traditional pay-TV and modern streaming, Movistar Plus has reached an agreement with DAZN to bring select games from the Liga ACB—Spain’s premier basketball division—to its entire subscriber base.
The partnership ensures that Movistar Plus boosts Liga ACB coverage through DAZN deal, allowing viewers who do not subscribe to the premium sports package to catch high-stakes action. Under the terms of the agreement, two games per matchday will be broadcast on the main Movistar Plus+ channel and the Vamos por M+ sports channel, both of which are included in the standard subscription tiers.
This expansion arrives at a critical juncture for the league, known as Liga Endesa for sponsorship reasons. With the regular season winding down, the fight for playoff positioning has intensified, making the availability of these marquee matchups a significant win for the sport’s visibility in Spain.
Immediate Impact on the Playoff Race
The rollout of this expanded coverage begins this Sunday, April 12, with a slate of games that carry heavy implications for the postseason. Fans can tune in to spot Liga Endesa fixtures featuring Unicaja against Valencia Basket, as well as a clash between Kosner Baskonia and Dreamland Gran Canaria.
While subscribers to the dedicated Movistar Sport package already enjoyed full access to the league via DAZN Basketball channels, this new arrangement democratizes the viewing experience. By moving select games to the primary channels, the operator is effectively leveraging the DAZN streaming infrastructure to maintain its status as a comprehensive sports hub for the average household.
For the teams involved, the increased eyeballs arrive at a time when every possession counts toward securing a favorable seed in the playoffs. The ability to reach a broader audience through the Vamos por M+ channel provides additional exposure for the league’s stars and the growing competitiveness of the Spanish domestic game.
A Strategic Pivot in Broadcasting Rights
This agreement represents a pragmatic resolution to a shifting power dynamic in Spanish sports media. For nearly a decade, Movistar Plus held a dominant grip on the league’s domestic rights, having taken over from the public broadcaster RTVE in 2015. However, that era ended last July when Liga ACB opted to move its broadcast partnership to DAZN in a sweeping multi-year deal.
The loss of the exclusive rights was a notable blow to the Telefonica-owned operator. Yet, the current landscape shows a trend toward “co-opetition,” where rivals collaborate to maximize reach. This follows a similar expansion in December, where Movistar subscribers were granted access to various DAZN properties, including select NBA and NFL games, as well as top-flight soccer from Italy’s Serie A and Germany’s Bundesliga.
The broader roadmap for the league indicates a push toward even greater accessibility. Starting with the 2025-26 campaign, DAZN will cover every single round of the Liga ACB, including the post-season playoffs and the finals. Most notably, the league will return to free-to-air television for one match per week—a move that marks the first time such a commitment has been made since the 2016-17 season.
The Current Sports Rights Landscape in Spain
The distribution of rights between Movistar and DAZN highlights a fragmented but comprehensive market where fans often need multiple subscriptions to follow their favorite teams across different competitions.
| Competition | Primary Rights Holder | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Liga ACB (Liga Endesa) | DAZN | Select games on Movistar Plus |
| LaLiga (Soccer) | Movistar Plus / DAZN | Joint coverage through 2032 |
| English Premier League | DAZN | Deal runs through 2027-28 |
| FA Cup | Movistar Plus | Deal runs through 2027-28 |
| NBA / EuroLeague | Movistar Plus | Core basketball portfolio |
Diversifying the Basketball Portfolio
Despite the shift in Liga ACB rights, Movistar Plus remains a powerhouse for basketball enthusiasts. The operator continues to provide extensive coverage of the pan-European EuroLeague for both men and women, as well as events organized by the international governing body FIBA.
By integrating select Liga ACB games back into its general offering, Movistar creates a more seamless experience for the basketball fan. A viewer can now move from the global stage of the NBA or the continental battle of the EuroLeague to the domestic intensity of the Spanish league without necessarily upgrading their subscription tier.
This strategy mirrors the company’s broader approach to sports. By securing long-term deals—such as the LaLiga agreement extending to 2032 and the FA Cup rights through 2028—Movistar is positioning itself as the stable foundation of Spanish sports viewing, while using partnerships with DAZN to fill gaps in its portfolio and respond to the agility of streaming services.
The next major milestone for the league’s broadcast evolution will arrive with the 2025-26 season, which will see the full implementation of the DAZN-led model and the return of weekly free-to-air matches for the general public.
Do you think the shift toward streaming-led rights deals is helping or hurting the visibility of European basketball? Let us know in the comments or share this story with a fellow fan.
