The TV rights saga drags on and continues to cause stigma within French football. After the incredible failure of DAZN, the LFP wants to take matters into its own hands by creating its own channel, "LFP Media." This ambitious project would allow all French clubs to have a say in the distribution of TV rights. However, this plan must be supported by reliable partners to see the light of day. On Thursday, the project's president, Nicolas de Tavernost, announced some big news : LFP Media would meet with Canal+ and BeIN Sports this weekend to create a broadcasting partnership between all these entities.
A glimmer of hope for French football, which was finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel in this interminable saga, which has already cost Ligue 1 clubs a huge loss of revenue . Finally, an interview with L'Équipe dampened the hopes of French club executives this Friday. Indeed, Maxime Saada, president of the Canal+ group, announced that his channel would throw in the towel on this thorny issue: " The meeting with LFP Media? It won't take place. We informed the League this Friday. It's a missed opportunity, Canal+ is throwing in the towel. We have chosen to withdraw. To date, we believe that the conditions are not met for Canal+ to distribute the new Ligue 1 platform. "
Maxime Saada highlights the flaws in the LFP Media file
A bombshell that's bound to displease French football leaders. Canal +, a long-standing broadcaster of French football, will not support the project led by Nicolas de Tavernost. Asked about the reasons for this abandonment, the businessman pointed to the financial problems of the LFP Media offering: " Our biggest disagreement? The subscription price. This is the first point of deep disagreement between us. The 100% European Cup pass is €10 with us. It's hard to see how we can sell a channel that doesn't include the entire Ligue 1 season in the first year (8 out of 9 matches per matchday) for around €20, as mentioned by the League. It's too high. We must collectively learn the lessons of DAZN's failure with its offer launched at between €30 and €40 per month. The disappointed viewers who fueled piracy must be won back." Furthermore, in all scenarios, we wanted to offer a competitive rate for Canal+ and beIN subscribers of around €10. This did not prevent other operators from benefiting from it as well .
One of the encrypted channel's other grievances with the LFP Media project is its lack of long-term commitment. Maxime Saada was not happy with a project in which LFP Media could withdraw after two years: " That's another disagreement. In its proposal, the League has the unilateral right to withdraw from the partnership after two years. But what are we building in two years? This logic is incompatible with our desire to rebuild and bring as many subscribers as possible to the Ligue 1 channel at the end of the four years. I liked this idea of becoming a leading partner again. Canal+ is a partner of French football, even the leading partner, by distributing Ligue 1 throughout French-speaking Africa and through Canal+'s financing of the European Cups. However, regarding Ligue 1 in France, to date, one can indeed wonder if Canal+ will be a partner." The conditions are not right today for any kind of distribution. Too many issues separate us today and we do not want to slow down the process of launching the channel. " That's what it says.
0 Comments