The Global Game: Seton Hall doctoral candidate hosts LaLiga for presentation on globalization of sports

LaLiga globalization sports: Seton Hall doctoral candidate hosts Spanish league executives

James Okafor | GlobalBeat

A Seton Hall University doctoral candidate welcomed LaLiga executives to campus for a presentation on how Spain’s top soccer league markets itself worldwide.

The March 27 event featured league officials explaining their strategy for expanding LaLiga’s international footprint through broadcast deals and social media engagement.

The gathering reflects growing academic interest in how sports organizations build global audiences. LaLiga has pursued an aggressive international expansion over the past decade, opening offices in 11 countries and signing broadcast agreements across five continents.

Doctoral candidate Zayd Muhiuddin hosted the session after connecting with league representatives through his research on sports globalization. The presentation drew students from Seton Hall’s Stillman School of Business and Department of Diplomacy and International Relations.

“LaLiga’s approach to international markets offers a fascinating case study in sports diplomacy,” Muhiuddin told campus newspaper The Setonian. “They’re not just selling a product, they’re exporting Spanish culture.”

The league’s international director Paulo Meré outlined how broadcasts reach 185 countries, with special focus on growing markets in Asia and North America. Meré said matches featuring Real Madrid and Barcelona regularly draw more than 650 million viewers combined.

“Every time we broadcast a match, we tell a story about Spanish cities, traditions, values,” Meré said during his presentation. “The stadiums become windows into our culture.”

LaLiga has invested heavily in digital content creation, producing videos in 12 languages for platforms including TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. The league’s social media channels have amassed 103 million followers globally as of April 2026.

The presentation covered specific tactics for engaging international fans who may never attend matches in person. These include virtual reality experiences of Spanish stadiums, behind-the-scenes content featuring players, and partnerships with local influencers in key markets.

“Traditional broadcast rights made us global,” Meré said. “Digital content keeps us relevant to younger fans who experience sports differently than their parents.”

Seton Hall students questioned executives about how the league balances commercial growth with competitive integrity. One asked whether uneven television revenue distribution favors large clubs over smaller ones.

Meré acknowledged the challenge, noting LaLiga negotiates some broadcast rights collectively while allowing individual clubs to strike their own international deals. Real Madrid and Barcelona earn significantly more from television than smaller clubs like Getafe or Cádiz.

“The globalization of sports creates tensions between local identity and commercial appeal,” said Professor Lisa Sandell, who teaches international sports management at Seton Hall. “LaLiga must maintain authentic connections to Spanish communities while serving global audiences.”

The event highlighted how American universities increasingly study international sports organizations as businesses. Seton Hall offers courses on sports marketing, international relations, and cultural diplomacy through athletics.

Background

LaLiga’s international expansion accelerated after 2015 when the league established its first foreign office in the United States. The league now operates regional headquarters across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. The strategy includes staging regular-season matches outside Spain, beginning with a 2018 game between Girona and Barcelona in Miami. That match drew 64,000 fans, demonstrating American appetite for top-level Spanish soccer.

Spanish clubs have toured globally since the 1980s, but LaLiga’s current approach treats international markets as core business rather than preseason promotional stops. The league employs 300 people outside Spain and generates 46 percent of its television revenue from foreign broadcasters. This international focus has helped LaLiga compete with England’s Premier League for global viewership despite smaller domestic market size.

What’s Next

LaLiga plans to stage at least one regular-season match in the United States during the 2026-27 season, pending approval from Spanish football authorities. The league continues expanding its digital presence, targeting 150 million social media followers by 2028. Meré said LaLiga will open new offices in Indonesia and Nigeria during 2026 as part of strategy to reach younger demographics in fast-growing economies.

The Spanish league’s globalization efforts face challenges from competing leagues and changing media consumption habits. LaLiga’s success in building international audiences could determine whether Spain’s top clubs remain competitive financially with English rivals who benefit from larger domestic markets and wealthier foreign ownership. How effectively LaLiga balances commercial growth with sporting tradition will likely influence other leagues pursuing similar strategies across world football.