DirecTV dropping GolTV after loss of La Liga

DirecTV is dropping GolTV on Thursday following the network's loss of rights to Spain's La Liga.

GolTV had held La Liga rights since the 2004-5 season, when it took over from Fox. It sublicensed some games to ESPN Deportes and ESPN3.com.

DirecTV last month started broadcasting beIN Sport, the Al Jazeera-owned network that has bought U.S. rights to La Liga, Italy's Serie A and France's Ligue 1.

GolTV still has rights to Germany's Bundesliga and the U.S. Open Cup final.

"As a result of DirecTV's new relationship with the Emir of the State of Qatar and founder of Al Jazeera, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, DirecTV intends to remove GolTV from its Sports Pack effective Sept. 13,"GolTV said in a statement.