France/TV rights: "Sport on free-to-air channels is in serious deficit" (N. Tavernost, M6 Group)

"We offer 60 to 120 hours of sport per year on our television channels. Sport, and football in particular, is a major audience driver. For the status of the channel and its relationship with distribution, sport is a very important element. Sport, on free-to-air channels, is in serious deficit: the cost of rights is much higher than revenue. We lose several million euros each year to broadcast the French national team's matches," declared Nicolas de Tavernost, president of the board of directors at M6 Group, during his hearing at the French National Assembly as part of the parliamentary inquiry into the broadcasting rights of sporting events, on 30/09/2021.

"We are wondering whether we will have the means to offer free-to-air sport in the future. Four elements allow or will allow us to respond to this issue:

1. The list of protected events (mandatory free-to-air broadcasting). This is a very good response to this problem and it also allows pay-TV operators to co-broadcast matches. So we are happy with this solution. It would be a good thing if this list were extended to include…