This is the paradox that agitates French football. On the one hand, an unexpected commercial success: Ligue 1+, the 100% LFP channel, exceeded one million subscribers in a few weeks, a target initially set for the end of the season. On the other, an unprecedented crisis of confidence: club presidents, led by Olivier Létang, stepped up to demand accountability from Nicolas de Tavernost, the boss of LFP Media. Behind the flattering figures lies a much darker reality, that of an economic model which, while it keeps up appearances, does not yet save the clubs.
A commercial success that masks the financial crisis
The numbers are there, and they are good. With more than a million subscribers, Ligue 1+ is a popular success. But this success has not yet translated into sufficient financial windfall for the clubs. Once the charges, the CVC contribution and the aid have been deducted, the share paid to the clubs remains very low. Before the upward revision due to the good figures, the French champion was only to receive 4.67 million euros in TV rights, less than the red lantern of the previous season. Even with the extension, revenues remain much lower than what the clubs received in the past, plunging them into a precarious financial situation.
De Tavernost under fire from critics
This situation exploded during the last LFP board meeting. Club presidents demanded more transparency on the channel's operating budget, particularly on the 14 million euros allocated to marketing. The response of Nicolas de Tavernost, who allegedly threatened to resign, ignited the powder.
“Nicolas forgets that he is no longer the boss like at M6, he has accountability”confided a club president to The Team. The honeymoon between the providential man and the clubs is already over.
In one meeting, Olivier Létang shook the fragile balance of the LFP. The war of presidents is declared.
An open war with the historic broadcasters
To make matters worse, LFP Media is at open war on several fronts. The standoff with Canal+, which refuses to distribute the channel, deprives Ligue 1+ of a major broadcast channel. The conflict with beIN Sports, which contests the conditions of its contract, further weakens the model. Isolated, Nicolas de Tavernost must navigate a hostile environment, where his former partners have become his main adversaries.
An uncertain future for French football
Ultimately, the audience success of Ligue 1+ is a glimmer of hope in a very dark picture. But it cannot, on its own, resolve the deep crisis that French football is going through. Without reconciliation with historic broadcasters and better distribution of revenue, clubs will continue to suffer. The 100% LFP chain's bet was audacious, but it could well turn into a death trap if the economic model does not prove viable in the long term.
