LFP/Canal+: "We can't be at €500m (TV rights/year) and say 'thank you Canal'" (Noël Le Graët, FFF)

"We were at €1.3bn (for the annual TV rights to the French professional football leagues, 2020-2024 cycle, before Mediapro's failure), which was perhaps a lot with a partner who had promised us large sums. But I note that the English are still at more than €2bn, that the Germans are at €1.3bn, that the Spanish and Italians are at €1.2bn. We can't be at €500m and say 'thank you Canal'," declared Noël Le Graët, president of the French Football Federation, at the FFF's federal assembly on 04/06/2021.

The day before (Thursday 03/06/2021), Maxime Saada, president of the board of directors at Canal+ group, made a broad presentation to the LFP's general assembly (most of which was held by videoconference), stressing that the attractiveness of Ligue 1 had "suffered in recent months", that the "product" had been "considerably deteriorated by Mediapro", and that the cost/benefit ratio was much more favourable today for the Top 14, Formula 1 and Moto GP.

He told the professional clubs that Canal+ would not abandon them, but that they should not expect huge sums for the next three seasons from…