La Liga, Facebook Feel Fallout of Catalan Unrest in Asia
- Party for 5,000 canceled after Madrid-Barcelona match scrapped
- Decision is setback for Liga’s effort to boost Asia fan base
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The postponement of the classic Madrid-Barcelona football match because of separatist unrest in the Catalonia region is having ramifications across the globe, and may prove a setback for the Spanish league’s effort to expand its fan base in Asia with the help of Facebook Inc.
The fallout is being acutely felt in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, where La Liga and Facebook had organized the city’s first-ever viewing party for the match known as El Clasico. The party, which was expected to draw 5,000 people to watch on a giant screen at a convention center, was the latest in a series of events arranged by Spain’s soccer federation as it tries to catch up globally with the popularity and wealth generation of England’s Premier League.