Ligue 1 TV rights 2024-2029: "Canal+ banked on the failure of the first phase" (E. Durand, lawyer)

"It is clear that Canal+ has banked on the failure of the first phase, drawing lessons from what happened four years ago, when this strategy of failing to win the tender was thwarted by the unexpected arrival of Mediapro. The distribution agreement signed before the consultation with one of the main potential threats (the OTT platform DAZN) was, I think, part of this plan," said Emmanuel Durand, a lawyer specialised in sports law, competition law and commercial law at the DWF law firm, to News Tank Football on 18/10/2023.

The call for tenders for the domestic audiovisual rights of Ligue 1 Uber Eats over the 2024-2029 cycle, launched on 12/09/2023, was declared unsuccessful by the Ligue de Football Professionnel on Tuesday 17/10/2023. As a result, from 18/10/2023, the Ligue will enter into direct negotiations with broadcasters, whether or not they have submitted a bid.

"It's at the end that we'll do the maths. Objectively speaking, I don't think we'll reach the €800m floor price for live matches (Lot 1 at €530m, Lot 2 at €270m), but maybe we won't be so far off in the end. Or maybe it…