Ligue 1 TV rights: "It may be time to imagine a different marketing model" (Emmanuel Durand, lawyer)

"While it is clear that, in the short term, the artificial or otherwise exacerbation of competition can be favourable to the seller, I believe that, in the long term, the market always has the last word. This doesn't mean, quite the contrary, that we should leave everything to the buyers. But it does mean that, at least as far as Ligue 1 rights are concerned, the current state of the market means that it may be time to imagine a different model for marketing rights, with longer-term prospects that are less dependent on the circumstances prevailing at the time of the calls for tenders," said Emmanuel Durand, a lawyer specialised in sports law, competition law and commercial law at DWF, to News Tank Football on 17/07/2024.

The OTT sports platform DAZN and pay-TV group beIN SPORTS France have acquired the domestic TV rights to the Ligue 1 McDonald's for the 2024-2029 cycle (five seasons). The two groups have secured these rights for an estimated estimated €500m a year. DAZN will broadcast eight Ligue 1 games per matchday (€400m per year, with the rights to near-live clips), while beIN…