Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner Advises Rights & Media Funding Limited to become Sole Lender of EUR 67M to LaLiga

International law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP (BCLP) helped secure Rights & Media Funding Limited as the sole lender of EUR 67 million to 11 LaLiga football clubs, in one of the largest transactions in European football. 

Rights & Media Funding Limited will deliver funding to strengthen the liquidity of football clubs in LaLiga SmartBank, the second division of Spanish professional football, as well as those clubs recently promoted to LaLiga Santander for the 2020-21 season. 

The project was launched to help clubs in LaLiga manage their financial needs during the exceptional circumstances caused by the coronavirus pandemic. 

LaLiga facilitated the access of interested clubs to an innovative financing tool that will make it possible to meet the liquidity needs of participating teams, optimizing their financing conditions and strengthening their capital structure. The transaction involved 11 clubs, for the first time, jointly entered the financing market. 

The innovative joint financing structure attracted the competitive interest of several lenders, with Rights & Media Funding Limited ultimately selected as the sole lender. BCLP advised Rights & Media Funding Limited on the London side, with law firm Toda & Nel-lo Abogados advising in Spain. 

The successful BCLP team was comprised of Partner and Co-Leader of Commercial Disputes Graham Shear and Partner Marc Trottier. 

“This is a hugely significant moment for both LaLiga and the world of football,” Shear said. “We are delighted to have been able to successfully advise Rights & Media Funding Limited on one of the first major loans to a top European league. As a longstanding and valued client, we are thrilled that their success will pave the way for them into new financing structures in other leagues.”

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