The Professional Football League is in full swing, with TV rights once again being debated and potentially controversial just three weeks before the French championship resumes. While everything seemed to be a done deal with DAZN and beIN Sports for a new era in the history of Ligue 1 television broadcasting, doubt is now creeping into French football.
The Professional Football League called an exceptional board meeting this Thursday morning to discuss two sticking points that have led discussions with the various stakeholders to an impasse until now. However, the hardest part seemed to have been done by the two candidates recently selected. Namely the distribution of the various matches – beIN having bet on only one of the nine matches per day; with ultimately the first choice every other time.
The 100% L1 channel option relaunched?
First sticking point according to RMC: the duration of the contract. The League would ultimately campaign for the maintenance of the period initially planned, namely five years, until 2029. This while the beIN group would not wish to commit to more than two seasons according to this formula. A position which nevertheless seemed to suit the clubs better until now.
Another dispute is the amount of the envelope granted by the Qatari media. beIN Sports intends to pay 80 million euros for the broadcasting rights of its single match. Then 20 million for sponsorship rights via Qatari structures, which embarrasses the LFP which sees a potential conflict of interest.
Could this impasse lead to the revival of a plan B and in particular the 100% Ligue 1 channel of the LFP? This is still not the trend ” concludes the aforementioned radio station. But doubts do indeed exist…
