LFP TV rights: beIN joins Canal in its complaint; Free wants to renegotiate and offers to return lot

The pay-TV group beIN Sports has joined the free and pay-TV group Canal+ in its complaint against the Ligue de Football Professionnel before the Commercial Court of Paris (FRA) on 19/02/2021, according to the French sports daily L'Équipe, on 20/02/2021. A new hearing has been scheduled for Tuesday 02/03/2021.

The two groups contest the fact that the LFP launched a call for tenders solely for the TV rights lots formerly held by Mediapro on 19/01/2021. Although the call for tenders was unsuccessful, it allows the League to negotiate by mutual agreement for these lots. beIN Sports and Canal+ want a new call for tenders to be launched with all the lots, including the one that beIN Sports holds (Lot 3) and has sub-licensed to Canal+ for €332m per season over the 2020-2024 cycle.

Free wishes to renegotiate the value of the digital lot (Lot 6/€42m per season) that it holds over the 2020-2024 cycle. The telecommunications operator also offered to return its lot so that a new call for tenders can be issued, in a letter addressed to the League, according to L'Équipe on 21/02/2021. These…