Ligue 1 broadcast rights up in the air

Liam Watson

Bids for French top-flight Ligue 1 from Amazon, DAZN and Discovery have all fallen short, prompting a broadcast rights crisis for the league.

The Professional Football League (LFP) haven’t been able to reach an agreement with any bidders as all offers by the three media companies were rejected.

L’Equipe reports that Mediapro’s editorial director for the Téléfoot network, Jean-Michel Roussier, also made an offer on his own companies behalf.

So far, no candidate has been able to match a publicly undisclosed asking price for LFP, not helped by the notable absence of bids from pay-TV broadcasters Canal+ and beIN Sports.

LFP has stated that it received offers from ‘three major international groups Amazon, Discovery and DAZN’ for a contract that includes second-tier Ligue 2 rights.

The LFP will give itself 48 hours to consider the next steps in the process, which would likely be entering private negotiations.

Téléfoot’s temporary arrangement, a network set up by Mediapro to showcase French league coverage, has just expired.

The top two French leagues had previously been left without a domestic broadcast partner when a record deal collapsed with Spanish-based agency Mediapro, worth €814 million (1.3 billion AUD) a year until the end of the 2023/24 season. A contract termination occurred in December as Mediapro were unable to meet payment deadlines – just four months into its first year.

Canal+ is paying €330 million (521 million AUD) a year to sublicence the remaining 20 per cent of games from BeIN Sports. The Vivendi-owned media company wanted to cancel that contract as part of the re-issue of the main broadcast partnership tender.

The LFP rejected that move and Canal+ launched a lawsuit against the league body, wanting to resell the rights rather than being stuck with the inflated prices of 2018. A court hearing is expected to take place on February 19th, as the broadcaster is also filing a complaint with France’s competition regulator about the LFP decision.

Last week it was revealed that French top-flight clubs were about to suffer catastrophic combined losses of over €1.3 billion (2 billion AUD) for this season alone due to the Covid-19 pandemic and a Mediapro deal breakdown.

At this stage, there is complete uncertainly if anyone is able to broadcast Ligue 1’s biggest match on the calendar between Marseille and PSG this weekend.

Previous ArticleNext Article

APL and PFA remain without agreement as bargaining tensions continue

Avatar
Image Credit: A-Leagues

The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) and Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) remain without a new collective bargaining agreement, with negotiations continuing less than three months before the start of the 2026–27 A-Leagues season.

The APL presented the players’ union with a new one-year interim proposal on August 5, which included an increase to the A-League Women salary cap and a commitment to establish a pathway towards full-time professionalism for the women’s competition within 12 months.

The proposed agreement would provide an interim framework while the two parties continue discussions over a longer-term collective bargaining agreement.

APL chief executive Steve Rosich said the proposal reflected the league’s commitment to reaching a sustainable agreement with players following eight months of negotiations.

However, the PFA criticised the APL for publicly announcing the proposal shortly after presenting it to the union, arguing that the approach had further damaged trust between the two parties.

PFA Chief Executive Beau Busch also said players had overwhelmingly rejected the APL’s previous final offer, citing a lack of trust in the league’s ability to ensure its future.

Full-time professionalism for the A-League Women remains a key priority for the PFA, with players seeking improved conditions and greater investment in the competition.

The A-League Men and A-League Women seasons are both scheduled to begin on 16 October 2026.

With the new season approaching, both parties face pressure to resolve the dispute and establish the framework governing player conditions across the A-Leagues.

 

 

Jeff Bezos consortium set for $2.7 billion Liverpool investment

Avatar
Image Credits: Fortune

Liverpool could soon welcome one of the world’s richest men into its ownership structure.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is part of a consortium in advanced talks to buy a 30% stake in the club.

The proposed deal values Liverpool at around $8.6 billion (4.5 billion pounds). Bezos has a personal fortune estimated at $363 billion.

The investment would give Fenway Sports Group (FSG) a major financial return. It would also allow FSG to keep control of the club, which they bought in 2010.

The proposal has attracted attention across football. It has also created concern among sections of the Liverpool fanbase.

FSG set for major return

FSG bought Liverpool for $573 million (300 million pounds) in 2010. The ownership group later provided further funding through loans. In the last 16 years, the club has undergone major growth.

Liverpool ended a 30-year wait for a league title in 2020. The club also won the Champions League in 2019. Another Premier League title followed in 2025.

Stadium redevelopment and a new training centre have also increased the club’s value. FSG could cash in on $2.7 billion (1.4 billion pounds) if the 30% share is sold.

The deal would therefore represent a huge return on its original investment. However, whilst the investment would provide a massive cash out for the owners of Liverpool, due to Financial Fair Play there won’t be increased investment in the transfer market.

Why Bezos wants Liverpool

Bezos has explored sports investments before. He has been linked with major American franchises such as the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks.

Liverpool would give him a stake in one of football’s biggest global brands. The club also has a large following in the United States. The New York Times has also reported Liverpool has 26 million fans in America.

That makes the investment attractive for investors looking to expand their reach in global sport. American businessmen Eduardo Saverin and Amit Bhatia are also reportedly involved in the consortium.

The deal would add to the growing American influence across English football.

Fans remain cautious

Liverpool supporters have not automatically welcomed the proposal.

The club’s previous experience under Tom Hicks and George Gillett still influences the fanbase.

Supporters also want greater clarity over the consortium’s intentions. Questions remain over board representation, control and the long-term purpose of the investment.

For many fans, ownership must involve more than financial ambition. The Bezos proposal could strengthen Liverpool’s commercial position. It could also deliver a huge payday for FSG.

But until the consortium reveals more about its plans, supporters are likely to treat the deal with scepticism.

Most Popular Topics

Editor Picks

Send this to a friend