Tag Archive: LaLiga Studios

  1. LALIGA Studios, the joint venture between LALIGA and Banijay Iberia, closes a deal with Little Spain to develop a fiction series set in the LALIGA universe.

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    LALIGA Studios, the joint venture between Banijay Iberia and LALIGA, has closed a deal with Little Spain, the production company founded by internationally renowned artist C Tangana, to develop a fiction series set in the LALIGA universe. This is a pioneering project as it is the first production with the IP of LALIGA and the official seal of approval from a competition of its size and scope.

    “We are facing a unique opportunity to produce the first fiction series that can exploit at all levels the IP of LALIGA, its clubs, its talent, its stadiums, its fans, to achieve a degree of veracity rarely seen in football-related fiction,” explained Chalo Bonifacino Cooke, CEO of LALIGA Studios.

    For its part, the Little Spain team has stated the objective is to create a story set in the context of Spanish professional football and from the idiosyncrasies of the LALIGA teams, where football, culture and life converge. This project is the result of a creative collaboration with actor Josh Hutcherson, a friend and ally of Little Spain in Los Angeles. This is a milestone for Little Spain, as it allows us to tell a story located between two key points: Spain and the United States. In order to capture the essence of the football world and its lifestyle accessible to very few, the key elements will be emotion and our signature cinematic style.”

    This project is also a new milestone in the strategic alliance between the company owned by LALIGA and Banijay Iberia, part of Banijay Entertainment, the content powerhouse with 130 production companies present in 21 territories, and Little Spain. Last March, both production companies created, together with LALIGA, the anthem 1voiceVSRACISM to fight against racism. This chant was played in all LALIGA EA SPORTS and LALIGA HYPERMOTION stadiums during the week of the World Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and had a great resonance, generating more than 193 million impressions and an average value of more than 9.7 million euros.

    Little Spain, with a growing influence in the audiovisual and creative world, won three Gold Lions in June at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, one of the most important advertising awards in the world. There it triumphed with the music video of the anthem, that the artist C Tangana – founding partner of the production company – composed for the centenary of RC Celta, a LALIGA EA SPORTS team. A success that comes after his first leap into feature-length documentaries with Esta ambición desmedida, a piece nominated for the Goya awards in 2023 that narrates the gestation and making of the tour of C Tangana’s influential album El Madrileño.

    In just one year of life, LALIGA Studios has produced for more than 100 operators, broadcasting in more than 190 countries around the world. It has also produced Límite 24H, the first programme on the closing of the summer transfer window, which announced the official last-minute signings thanks to exclusive access to LALIGA’s 7th floor and was broadcast on channels such as Movistar+, DAZN, ESPN, DirecTv and Sky TV.

    Since its inception, LALIGA Studios has created content for LALIGA and its main sponsors and clubs. Also, in its desire to be a pioneer in the world of sports entertainment, LALIGA Studios recently closed a deal for the development of football-related content with Hollywood production company MTP, formerly known as Mandalay Sports Media. This project is led by Mike Tollin, executive producer of the worldwide phenomenon The Last Dance, the miniseries about Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls that became the most watched documentary in history on ESPN in the United States and a record-breaking hit on Netflix.

    Banijay Iberia and LALIGA joined forces last year to launch LALIGA Studios, a company led by Chalo Bonifacino Cooke. The partnership with Little Spain reflects Banijay Entertainment’s commitment to grow the sports entertainment business through new partnerships, content investments and mergers and acquisitions following the recent launch of Banijay Sports.

  2. Mike Tollin’s MTP and LALIGA Studios to Develop Slate of Soccer-Centric Projects.

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    Since its founding in 2023, LALIGA Studios, a joint venture between Banijay Iberia, part of media and entertainment powerhouse Banijay, and LALIGA, is dedicated to pioneering new standards in sports entertainment through the creation of global original content, brand content, digital media, live events, and a commitment to pushing the boundaries of creativity and bringing entertainment to a worldwide audience.

    “LALIGA is the most exciting soccer league in the world. It touches people across the globe with a passion that’s unrivaled. And now, through our collaboration with MTP we can develop a global slate of projects that will take the sport from the pitch to a whole new audience worldwide” said Chalo Bonifacino Cooke, CEO of LALIGA Studios.

    MTP, previously known as Mandalay Sports Media is a sports-focused media company in Los Angeles. At the helm is Mike Tollin executive producer of the global sensation The Last Dance, the miniseries on Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, which became the most watched documentary ever on ESPN in the U.S. and a record-breaking hit globally on Netflix. The series also won the 2020 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series. MTP followed up its sports doc success two years later with 2022’s The Redeem Team (Netflix) which won the Sports Emmy for Outstanding Long Documentary.

    Tollin’s storied Hollywood career includes scripted films, television hits, and documentaries such as the Oscar-nominated Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream. He was one of the original producers on the landmark 30 for 30 series for ESPN and in the last decade, has been trusted to tell the stories of sporting icons Michael Jordan, Derek Jeter, Allen Iverson and Shaun White. He has also worked on innovative projects alongside EA Sports, 2K Sports, and Jordan Brand.

    “Over the last decade, soccer and sports at large, have become fully mainstream in the US and beyond. Sports fans around the country are embracing the same aspects of the game that has made it the most-played sport in the world. Our partnership with LALIGA Studios will amplify this trend and bring the sport to a new demographic through accessible human storytelling.” said Jonathan Vogler, President of MTP’s Unscripted division.

    The details of the slate have not yet been announced but the first of its projects is already in the works led by MTP and Emmy winning producer-director Diego Hurtado de Mendoza.

    “I’m beyond excited about what we’ve been preparing. This is such a perfect match. MTP’s unmatched track record developing the most memorable projects in recent years and Spain’s LALIGA being the most dynamic soccer league globally are the perfect platform for developing the biggest, and most enjoyable new shows that will expand the categories of how sports can engage a global audience,” said Diego Hurtado de Mendoza.

  3. LaLiga Studios Expands its Management Team and Announces New Project

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    Media and entertainment powerhouse, Banijay, today announces LaLiga Studios has expanded its leadership team and confirms its new project, The Power of our Fútbol. Paz Pérez Sanz, Marta Ruiz and Anabel López Antolín will join the company as Art Director, Director of New Projects, and Director of Production respectively.

    Pérez Sanz comes on board as Art Director following four years at Real Madrid TV, where she was responsible for brand change, chain continuity and programmes. She has created assets for a multitude of television companies including Movistar, Cuatro, Telecinco and Canal+. She has worked on campaigns for Disney, AXN, Discovery Max, Turner (TNT and BOING), Comedy Central, MTV, ONDAS and Advertising.

    With more than 25 years’ industry experience, Ruiz joins LaLiga Studios as Director of New Projects. Recent credits include director of Ya Son Las Ocho and Secret Story: Última Hora, and the development of Insiders for Netflix. Prior to this, she was the Director of New Projects at Cuarzo Producciones (Banijay Iberia), where she developed and adapted international formats ¡Mira Quién Salta!, Find My Family, and The Village.

    Newly appointed Director of Production, López Antolín was previously production manager at La Nueva TV, overseeing formats such as Madrileños por el Mundo. Prior to that, she was Director of Production at Magnolia, Viento and Agua Films, Verve Media, as well as Head of Production at Fremantle, Big Bang Media and Secuoya, developing and launching numerous formats such as Camera CaféX Factor and Amores que Duelen. López Antolín, in addition worked at Discovery as Promotions Manager for Spain, France and Portugal.

    Documentary The Power of our Fútbol is a co-production between IMA (Banijay Iberia) and LaLiga Studios. It follows LaLiga’s shift in its corporate image, however, this is more than just a rebrand story, it is a tale of profound change, an empowerment, a bold statement of the recognition of the power of football. Its MD, Chalo Bonifacino Cooke, will executive produce the documentary, which explores the depth of this transformation; from the global context, and the changes in fan habits, to the needs of new audiences, and the evolution of football’s direct impact on society.

    Chalo Bonifacino Cooke, Managing Director LaLiga Studios says: “We are thrilled to bolster LaLiga Studios’ leadership team with Paz, Marta and Anabel, whose experience speaks for itself. I know their shared passion, knowledge and creative thinking will be the perfect combination to deliver a rich slate of sports content.”

    LaLiga Studios was born out of an agreement made between Banijay Iberia and the football league LaLiga in February 2023. Banijay Iberia is led by CEO Pilar Blasco and Óscar Mayo is the Executive Director of LaLiga.

  4. Banijay Iberia and LaLiga Strike a Deal to Launch LaLiga Studios

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    Content powerhouse Banijay today announces Banijay Iberia and the football league, LaLiga, will join forces to launch LaLiga Studios, a new sports-related content production company led by Chalo Bonifacino Cooke.

    The agreement sees Banijay Iberia utilise its production expertise and LaLiga, its knowledge and reputation, to establish LaLiga Studios, a global leader in the creation of sports-related content.

    Through this partnership, LaLiga Studios will produce audiovisual content for LaLiga, clubs, sponsors, and broadcasters. It will also work with international platforms and brands in the development, production, and distribution of entertainment, documentary, fiction, and animation content. Chalo Bonifacino Cooke has been appointed Managing Director and Executive Producer of LaLiga Studios, and will oversee its international growth utilising the footprint of both companies.

     Pilar Blasco, CEO of Banijay Iberia comments: “We are very proud to announce this partnership with LaLiga; a great generator of narratives around sport and its values. We are eager to use our experience in the production and creation of premium content to tell these stories, with the highest quality standards, so they become known all over the world.”

     Óscar Mayo, Executive Director of LaLiga says: “We have ambitious plans for LaLiga Studios, including working with the best brands, so it was critical for us to have the perfect partner. Banijay Iberia’s track record of bringing premium quality viewing to the region, gives LaLiga Studios the best possible start.”

    Banijay Iberia is behind some of the region’s most popular shows with flagship titles like MasterChef, Big Brother and Temptation Island, as well as true crime documentaries including Where is Marta? For Netflix. It also produces premium scripted titles for a range of platforms including Bosé, The Gypsy Bride, Heirs to the Land and Hierro, amongst others. Not to mention animation series, Virtual Hero.

    The deal should become effective in the coming weeks.