The call for tenders for Ligue 1 TV rights for the period 2024-2029 is off to a bad start. No prize was awarded at the end of the first phase.
The billion euros is not for now. The call for tenders for Ligue 1 TV rights, for the period 2024-2019, is off to a bad start.
“After having received several qualitative offers and financial guarantee schemes for all lots 1 to 5, LFP Media indicates that none of the five lots has been awarded today, in accordance with the provisions of the Ligue 1 call for applications , indicates the LFP in a press release this Tuesday. Consequently, LFP Media is continuing its process of marketing Ligue 1 rights and is also postponing its call for Ligue 2 applications.”
Concretely, no broadcaster has submitted a satisfactory offer for the League. As a reminder, the body headed by Vincent Labrune hoped to recover at least 800 million euros for the two main lots: 530 million euros for the premium lot, with the two best posters of the championship day and the fourth choice in co-broadcast; and 270 million euros for the so-called volume lot, which includes the six other matches of each round and the co-broadcast poster.
What will Canal+ do?
This call for tenders appeared to be off to a bad start for the LFP, because Canal+, the historic broadcaster of Ligue 1, chose to boycott this procedure. Amazon, for its part, had picked up an exceptional lot at a ridiculous price (250 million euros per year) after the Mediapro fiasco, and did not seem very eager to increase its offer. There remained beIN Sports, rather interested in Lot 2, and new players like DAZN, RMC Sport, or the Warner Bros Discovery group, owner of Eurosport. But for the moment, there is nothing satisfactory for the LFP.
The League will now negotiate over the counter, that is to say directly, with interested candidates. And even the broadcasters who did not participate in the first phase. Canal+ could therefore potentially return to the game…
