The Cuban government has approved the country's first sports law, allowing commercialization, advertising, and sponsorships in sports events. This reform aims to monetize sports amid economic crisis and mass emigration. Baseball, the national passion, leads the changes with official broadcasts and exclusion of independent streamers.
The new sports law, published in the Official Gazette on January 13, 2026, marks a radical shift in Cuban sports management. Previously viewed as foreign vices, advertising and sponsorship are now embraced due to economic pressures. The National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation (INDER) and federations will sign contracts to allocate profits to athletes, facilities, and equipment.
In baseball, the Cuban Federation holds all broadcast and image rights. With 1.5 million Cubans emigrating since late 2021, overseas fans demand game streams. Entrepreneurs like Dargel Mastrapa previously covered Holguín matches using just a phone, drawing thousands. But at the postseason start, he was banned from broadcasting, facing legal threats.
Similar cases include Rolando Lluch, barred in 2019 with over 5,000 viewers, which grew during the pandemic. Internet improvements and U.S.-based expatriate interest have solidified the trend. Journalists like Yasel Porto and Reynier Batista, with U.S. minor league experience, now focus on the Cuban league.
The law normalizes advertising: BDC One billboards appeared in playoff stadiums, covering up to 30% of surfaces and uniforms. Sponsorship packages range from 13 to 56 million pesos ($27,000-$115,000 at informal rates). INDER has regularized streams via PlayCubano, linked to Cubadeportes S.A., averaging 30,000 views per regular-season game, doubling in playoffs and hitting 116,000 for a January 29 final.
INDER's legal director Karel Luis Pachot explained on Bola Viva that organizing committees evaluate private sponsor proposals. Initiatives like Carlos Armando Buch's incentives to Holguín players (up to 30,000 pesos monthly) have sparked debates on aid versus sponsorship, underscoring low sports salaries. Ending amateurism aims for revenue, but whether it benefits athletes and the spectacle remains to be seen.
