Pamplona has agreed to charge for the audiovisual rights to the world-famous San Fermín bull runs, changing how the event is managed and broadcast. Under the deal with public broadcasters RTVE and EITB, the city will receive an annual payment of €650,000 for exclusive rights to televise the encierros and use public spaces for coverage through 2029, with an option to extend the contract for another four years.
The encierro takes place each morning at 08:00 from July 7 to 14 along an 875-metre route running from the cuesta de Santo Domingo to Pamplona’s bullring. Visit Navarra identifies the route and schedule as basic elements of the festival, which centers on the bullring. Millions of television viewers follow the runs live, giving broadcast access and camera positions particular value.
The annual sum will be divided between the city and the Casa de Misericordia, which owns the bullring where each run concludes. Pamplona will receive 65%, or €422,500 a year, while the Casa de Misericordia will get the remaining 35%, or €227,500. This is the first time the city has earned direct income from broadcasts of the event, a move that could set a precedent for other major festivals in Spain.
Exclusive Rights and Language Access
RTVE will hold exclusive rights to camera positions along the bull run route, making its coverage the basic Spanish-language broadcast. EITB, the Basque public broadcaster, will receive footage from RTVE to provide simultaneous coverage in Basque. The agreement also covers technical support and permits, along with the adaptation of public spaces for production, including the streets and the bullring. The Casa de Misericordia will oversee work at the bullring.
The broadcasters will fund the annual fee directly: RTVE will contribute €550,000 and EITB €100,000 each year. The payment will be adjusted from January 2027 in line with Spain's national inflation index. Payments must be made before September 30 each year for the duration of the contract.
Historic Archive Opens to the Public
The deal also opens RTVE's extensive archive of San Fermín bull run footage, recorded over more than four decades. The material will be available through a public digital portal for research and education, including institutional use. Commercial use and third-party distribution will remain prohibited without RTVE's explicit consent.
If RTVE earns more than €50,000 in annual net income from international distribution of the footage, the city and the Casa de Misericordia will each be entitled to 15% of the surplus. This clause could provide additional revenue if global interest in the event continues to grow.
Impact on the Festival and City
The agreement secures a new revenue stream for Pamplona and formalizes public broadcasters’ presence at one of Spain's most-watched cultural events. RTVE reported that the 2025 broadcasts of the encierros attracted an average audience of 1,364,000 viewers and a 63.9% share.
The event’s reach comes with a long history of large crowds and risk. In a July 1983 report, El País recalled that two people died during the 1980 run, highlighting the safety concerns around an event where runners share a crowded route with the bulls. The agreement’s provisions for production access and camera positions so govern coverage of a tradition with broad public visibility and inherent danger.
By setting financial terms and regulating broadcast access, including language coverage, Pamplona aims to balance tradition with modern media realities. The city gains direct income and access to valuable audiovisual heritage, while the San Fermín bull runs remain available to audiences in Spanish and Basque. The deal may influence how other Spanish cities handle the commercial rights to their own iconic festivals.
