Media: "the Portuguese league is a high-level competition" (Florent Houzot, beIN Sport)

Qatari sports channel beIN Sport has acquired the broadcast rights in France to the Portuguese league - the Liga Zon Sagres - from the 2013/14 to the 2015/16 season, on the 22/08/2013.

"BeIN Sport currently is in full development phase, with the aim to offer our current and future subscribers the best service possible," said Florent Houzot, editor-in-chief of the sports channel, which was launched in France in June 2012, to NTF on the 23/08/2013.

"First of all, the Portuguese league is a high-level competition, with top teams and players (...) Then, France counts four million Portuguese or French people of Portuguese origin. This obviously is an important factor," said the former deputy director of the sports department of France Televisions (2006-2010).

Asked about the price of that new acquisition, Florent Houzot said "beIN Sport paid 'the fair price'. beIN Sport is not destined to become a 100% football channel. Our next development phase will focus more on multi-sport," added the managing editor of the channel, which co-airs the French Ligue 1 during the 2012-2016 period.

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