On Tuesday, Mexican football was shaken by news that Jesús Martínez Patiño, chairman of Grupo Pachuca, and his legal representative are being sought by authorities on charges of aggravated disobedience of a judicial order.
According to media reports, Martínez and the company’s attorney failed to appear at two court hearings related to a dispute over the television broadcasting rights of Liga MX clubs Pachuca and León, both owned by Grupo Pachuca.
The arrest warrant stems from legal action filed by former broadcast partner FOX Sports México over a dispute involving broadcasting rights. Although the partnership had already ended, litigation between the parties remained active, and a court order had instructed Grupo Pachuca to refrain from streaming the contested content. Authorities are now investigating whether that order was violated.
Grupo Pachuca is now partnered with FOX Corporation for the broadcast of its home matches, while FOX Sports México continues to contest the rights to the “FOX Sports” brand before Mexican courts.
Martínez and his family hold a prominent place in Mexican football. His brother serves as president of Club Pachuca, while his son leads Club León. Since acquiring Pachuca in 1995, Martínez has guided the organization to remarkable success, including seven Liga MX titles and a historic Copa Sudamericana victory in 2006 — the only Mexican club to win a South American tournament.
After purchasing León in 2011, Martínez oversaw the club’s return to the first division and celebrated three league titles under Grupo Pachuca’s ownership. The company has also expanded abroad, acquiring Real Oviedo in Spain’s top flight.
Today, Martínez is seen as one of the most influential figures in Mexican football, often challenging the dominance of the traditional power brokers — Televisa, owners of Club América, and TV Azteca.
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