A new LaLiga football theme park is being planned to open in Spain's PorAventura World. The partnership between Spain's top flight and the theme park is reportedly worth €150 million and begins in earnest with something called The Beat Challenge.
Judging by the advertisements, this appears to be a digital app-based experience which LaLiga has described as "a multidisciplinary experience constructed around unique storytelling".
The Beat Challenge will launch for the 2021/22 season, before the second phase of the development - a LaLiga themed attraction at the park including restaurants - is launched.
The final phase, worth €100 million, will see an entire LaLiga theme park constructed within PortAventura World.
This begs the logical question: why? We cannot answer that for you, but here's what LaLiga had to say.
“LaLiga is synonymous with entertainment,” said Oscar Mayo of LaLiga. “We are strengthening this concept and offering our clubs the opportunity to amplify their brands globally to a younger, family-based audience and to offer them benefits at PortAventura World.”
What attractions will be on offer? It's too early to tell. But we have some suggestions for LaLiga if they're short on ideas.
First up, the Gareth Bale Matchday Experience, which allows visitors in the park to sit on a replica LaLiga bench or play mini golf while the rest of their family enjoy what it has to offer.
Secondly, the Lionel Messi Escape Room. This state of the art escape room sees you don a Barcelona shirt and forces you to use your cunning and intelligence to try and find the necessary legal precedence to exit Barcelona on a free transfer while an actor portraying Josep Bartomeu tries to scupper your every move.
Finally, we'd like to see Sergio Ramos' Shithouse of Horrors, an immersive haunted house experience which allows those who dare to go inside to headbutt, slide tackle and elbow a variety of monsters and ghouls.
