This Monday evening, French football will know (perhaps) on which foot to play… Broadcasters interested in the call for tenders on TV rights until 2024 have from 10 am to 12 noon to submit their proposals on the six lots involved (four for L1, two for L2) at the headquarters of the Professional Football League (LFP). These will be immediately studied by Vincent Labrune, president of the LFP, assisted by a steering committee made up of Jean-Michel Aulas (Lyon), Jacques-Henri Eyraud (Marseille), Jean-Pierre Caillot (Reims), Christian Leca (AC Ajaccio) and Philippe Piat (UNFP, players’ union). A Board of Directors will then take place from 6 p.m.
Because there is no longer a minute to lose. Already deprived of ticketing and hospitality by the closed door imposed because of the pandemic, the clubs were hit hard by the Mediapro fiasco. But between winter sales and lying poker, the game promises to be tight …
What can the League expect?
We must not dream. The 814 million promised by Mediapro in the initial call for tenders in 2018 are a thing of the past. In the midst of a health crisis, the sports rights market is in decline everywhere in Europe. The situation is even more disastrous in France where the cornered LFP is forced to act in disaster. Which is never good for business and puts it in a weak position.
PODCAST. TV rights of French football: story of the Mediapro fiasco
The body would have preferred to negotiate over-the-counter with Canal +, the only broadcaster openly interested, but the encrypted channel declined. TF1, M6 or France Télévisions are not intended to join the dance and SFR or RMC Sport have reviewed their priorities. BeIN Sport and Amazon remain. The American giant has already made its entry into French sport by acquiring a Roland-Garros broadcast package (night sessions and Simonne-Mathieu court) from next spring. The ogre of e-commerce plays prudence and discretion.
“Amazon’s investments are rational,” explained to The Team Alex Green, boss of Amazon Europe, who has never put more than 100 million euros per season for sporting events on the continent. The priority is to find the right lot in a certain market, which can be marketed effectively, and which makes economic sense. In other words, take advantage of the clearance sale.
There is a real possibility that one or more lots will not reach the minimum price set by the LFP, even if the latter could show flexibility. The consultation would then be unsuccessful. It would be necessary to start negotiations by mutual agreement with the candidates (provided that one has some) and to find a temporary solution to broadcast the matches.
What is Canal + playing?
The Vivendi group channel, which has everything the providential savior, has embarked on a standoff with the LFP on the legal ground. Canal + is demanding before the Paris Commercial Court and the Competition Authority that the call for tenders be global, that is to say on all the lots involved in 2018. The managed entity by Maxime Saada estimates that the 332 million per year that she pays for 20% of L1 matches (Saturday 9 p.m. and Sunday 5 p.m.) are totally “overvalued” in the current market, where the Covid-19 has depleted the L1 product .
In this context, will Canal + hand over its file this Monday morning? Maxime Saada has in any case recently informed the League that this would not be the case, even if it means losing all chance for the prime time on Sunday evening. This would not prevent Canal from being able to emerge victorious… a posteriori.
The hearing in the commercial court is scheduled for February 19 and the proceedings before the Competition Authority can last four to six months. The February 1 call for tenders could be invalidated and all counters reset to zero.
On arrival, ironically, the broadcaster of the PSG-Marseille clasico next Sunday could be… Mediapro. Its Téléfoot channel must stop broadcasting on the evening of Wednesday 3 February on the 23rd day of L1. But the Sino-Spanish group, which compensated the LFP up to 100 million after their divorce, is ready to play extra time. Other chains have also offered their services on a transitional basis.
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