Ligue 1 considers new TV rights tender

The French football league, Ligue 1, may announce a tender for television rights by Wednesday, following a significant drop in revenue from these rights. This comes nearly a year after the launch of Ligue 1+, the league's own streaming platform.

Board to vote on proposal

The board of directors of the Ligue de football professionnel (LFP) is set to vote on a recommendation from Olivier Bramly, the general director of LFP Medias, to launch a tender for the exclusive broadcasting rights to all Ligue 1 matches. This is enabled by a new law on the financing of professional sports that allows bundling of rights.

Tender timeline and expectations

If approved, the tender would be launched in November, with potential buyers given a month to respond. The proposal is set two years before the current rights cycle, which began in 2024, is set to end in 2029. Olivier Bramly said in Les Échos that the proposed cycle from 2027 to 2032 "responds to market expectations."

Critics question the urgency

Pierre Maes, a consultant and author of Le business des droits TV du foot, argues the early tender reflects weakness. He suggests that if Ligue 1+ had been successful, there would be no need for an early tender. The platform was created to replace the absence of broadcasters during the 2024-2025 season.

Revenue struggles continue

Ligue 1+ has not generated enough revenue for clubs, far below the levels they were used to when Canal+ held the rights. Before the LFP separated from Canal+ in 2018, TV rights generated nearly 600 million euros annually. Since then, the league has lost value due to Mediapro’s bankruptcy, a discounted sale to Amazon, and the commercial failure of DAZN.

Interest from major platforms

Olivier Bramly claims to have received "serious expressions of interest" from platforms like Disney+, Netflix, and Apple. However, the return of Canal+ appears unlikely. Pierre Maes says Canal+ would only be interested if it could get the rights at an extremely low price.

Floor price speculation

A floor price of 250 million euros has been mentioned, though it was denied by a source close to the league. Some club presidents fear that an offer of 250 million euros would hinder the sale, as it would be too low for them.