Ántoni Daimiel has officially announced his departure from Movistar Plus+ after a 36-year tenure, leaving the Spanish broadcaster just one year after the network lost its broadcast rights to the NBA. The legendary basketball commentator confirmed his exit through a series of posts on his official X account, describing the network as “the company of my life” while outlining his status as an unrestricted free agent moving forward.
A Historic Chapter Closes at Movistar Plus+
Daimiel first signed with the network on September 15, 1990, beginning a professional journey that spanned nearly four decades and cemented his voice as synonymous with basketball coverage in Spain, according to reports from outlets including ADSLZone and El Periódico.
https://x.com/MovistarPlus/status/2092917355730948145
In his public farewell message, Daimiel struck a grateful tone, reflecting on his decades within the organization. “I want to announce that I have stopped belonging to Movistar Plus,” Daimiel wrote on X. “It has been the company of my life, I have and will always have a feeling of family-like gratitude toward it. Although they never gave me keys, it has been more of a home than a house for me, a dwelling where I have lived with a great many people.”
The Aftermath of Losing the NBA Rights
The high-profile exit follows a major shift in the network’s sports programming portfolio. Last year, Movistar Plus+ lost its long-held broadcast rights to the NBA, a competition Daimiel had covered for three decades. Following that loss, rumors circulated regarding his potential departure from the telecommunications operator’s television division.
Despite the loss of the marquee basketball property, Daimiel surprised viewers by joining Movistar’s broadcast team for LaLiga EA Sports football coverage, working alongside Guille Giménez on the multi-camera feed. However, that transition into domestic soccer broadcasting lasted just a single season before the latest separation occurred.
Reflections and Future Plans
Addressing his next career steps, Daimiel indicated he is in no rush to secure a new position, humorously adopting sports terminology to describe his current professional standing. “There is no grief to overcome, there is no hurry to rebuild my working life,” he stated, adding, “Now I will be a restricted free agent (I thought that only happened in the NBA).”
While clarifying that his departure does not constitute retirement—noting that “it doesn’t pay enough to retire, I will do something”—he acknowledged that future ventures will depend on finding projects that match his expectations. Historical reporting notes that Daimiel previously turned down external offers from platforms like DAZN and Prime Video to remain with Movistar Plus+, choosing instead to extend his tenure with the blue operator before this final separation.
Movistar Plus+ issued a public farewell acknowledging his immense contributions to sports media. “The history of sport in Movistar Plus is not understood without Antoni Daimiel,” the network stated, thanking him for his talent and invoking a signature tribute from the late broadcaster Andrés Montes: “Thank you for making life more wonderful.”
