Havana Cuba. – It is said that public memory is short-lived, but in the case of Cuban football fans it is the opposite. The criticisms of Cuban Institute of Radio and Television (ICRT)who for two editions has not broadcast the European Champions League (Euro Cup), are increased a few days before the start of the quarterfinal phase of the main football competition in the Old Continent.
In the forums of the social networks and within the courts that are improvised in the neighborhoods, the fans question that “the sports channel in Cuba”, Tele Rebelde, invests in transmitting more than 12 hours of deferred material, recycled each day. or low viewership, while the Champions League signal has not just landed on Creole televisions.
Although the competent authorities had not mentioned the matter, the Cuban fans assumed that the matches of the prestigious tournament had been stopped because Cuba did not pay the transmission rights of the signal. The theory was confirmed in May 2021, when Tele Rebelde published a statement succinctly to announce that the country did not have the funds to buy the transmission rights for the Copa América and the European Championship.
As confirmed by several fans, the last games broadcast by Tele Rebelde, corresponding to the round of 16 phase, came out on the small screen in February 2019 with the label “Stolen Signal”.
“The Champions League was broadcast because the ICRT hung on signals that came from platforms such as Sky or Direct TV. That brought problems. A peso has never been paid for that signal. For the only signal that has been paid, and with benefits, is for the Santander League and for the transmission of some matches,” said Yoel Menéndez, a telecommunications engineer who works for Radio Cuba.
Stealing the sign: no consequences?
On condition of anonymity, another Radio Cuba specialist consulted by CubaNet He explained that at an international level, broadcasting companies analyze live transmissions in search of coincidences with third-party signals, which are detected by the interference they generate in the original transmission.
“There is a register that indicates the quality of the signal, determined by the power, range and other parameters. When it decreases, the most likely cause is parasitic transmission. It is very difficult to determine at what point, from where or how the signal is being stolen, but when it is discovered an alert is always issued so that the issuing body can clarify if it has a license. If there is no response, the image freezes, ”explained the source.
Regarding the consequences of this illegal practice, the specialist indicated: “If a Cuban steals the signal from the Government, he goes to jail. Now, if it is the Government that steals an international signal, nothing happens. Even if it is verified, the ICRT will not pay any claim. The issue has gained momentum due to the Champions League, but the theft of the sports broadcast signal has a long history in Cuba.”
The rights for the transmission of the Champions League are sold directly by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) to the broadcasting companies of the different geographical areas, countries or even by linguistic or cultural regions.
Until 2024 the transmission rights of the Champions League and the Santander League in Spain belong to the company Telefónica Audiovisual Digital (TAD). In Latin America, transmissions are carried out by different operators. In countries like Mexico, it can be accessed through platforms such as Sky or HBO Max, who have different rate packages that start at 3 dollars.
The options in Cuba
“They should spend less on transmitting the ball; They play it every day and no one sees it. That money could be used for the Champions League, but in this country everything is upside down. Right now the World Athletics Championship is going on, in its entirety, although only four cats are looking at it. I believe that the priorities are not well defined, I would like to know what they are based on to make the sports programming”, commented Pavel Portillo, futsal teacher in the Francisco Cardona sports area, in the municipality of Diez de Octubre.
In order to follow the remaining matches of the European Championship live, Cubans have to put their hands in their pockets: one of the options is to pay for consumption during the stay in a private hotel or bar, establishments that do receive the signal.
“In hotels you have to consume something, what I do is that I have a beer every time so that they don’t kick me out. Thus, with 300 pesos, I can watch my game in a cozy place, with good signal quality. But I ask the following: Where do the hotels get the signal from that the Government cannot obtain it? Doesn’t the government have more resources than a simple hotel?” asks Alfredo Flores, a soccer fan.
Another variant is offered by houses that have a clandestine antenna and charge up to 200 pesos for admission to watch the games. In most Havana neighborhoods there are businesses of this type that throughout the year also broadcast the Major League Baseball (MLB) season.
“I go to watch the games at the house of some neighbors who have an antenna; there we always get together 20 or 30 people and have a good time. The bad thing is that if there is a tip-off everyone goes to jail; but nobody has to know that we are there. I’m going to go anyway, I won’t miss the game against Chelsea for the world”, said Frank Toledo, a Real Madrid fan.
As a last variant, it is always possible to connect to the internet, where several platforms broadcast the matches with a few minutes of delay.
“The internet is expensive and, even so, it is the option of the poor. You cannot fight, if the Government does not send food to the people, imagine if it is going to put money so that we can watch football”, concludes Miguel Ángel Cortés.
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