Mediapro/Téléfoot: "Surprised about the method and worried about the substance (V. Labrune, LFP)

"I am surprised about the method and worried about the substance. On the method, the timing of this announcement is surprising to say the least, when we know that it comes only a few weeks after the payment of a first installment which was announced with a lot of communication to 'give credibility' to the Téléfoot project and its sustainability..." stated Vincent Labrune, president of the French Professional Football League, to L'Équipe on 10/10/2020, following the wishes expressed by Jaume Roures (ESP), founding partner of the Chinese-Spanish audiovisual group Mediapro which launched the Téléfoot channel on 21/08/2020, to "renegotiate the contract for this 2020-21 season" concerning the TV rights to Ligue 1 Uber Eats and Ligue 2 BKT.

Mediapro did not pay the €172m including tax (€135m excluding tax for Ligue 1 Uber Eats and approximately €8m excluding tax for Ligue 2 BKT) that it was scheduled to pay on 05/10/2020, and that the LFP was then to redistribute to the clubs on 17/10/2020.

"At the very least, we will say that this taints the relationship of trust. And basically, it…