French league launches own channel to broadcast Ligue 1
- The French Football League (LFP) will launch its own channel to broadcast Ligue 1 matches next season
- The decision comes after clubs voted to terminate the existing broadcast deal with DAZN
- The move aims to give the league more control over domestic broadcasting rights
The French football league (LFP) announced on Tuesday the creation of its own channel to broadcast Ligue 1 matches next season, after clubs voted in favour of ending a deal with DAZN.
An agreement was struck for a "TV and digital platform entirely dedicated to Ligue 1" following a meeting of club presidents, the LFP's board of directors and representatives of its commercial arm, LFP Media.
Source: Getty Images
The new channel will show eight of nine matches each weekend, with Qatar's beIN Sports keeping the rights to broadcast the remaining game.
Clubs in April voted for the large part in favour of ending the previous deal with streaming platform DAZN after a breakdown in relations between the two parties. It had only been agreed last July, a couple of weeks before the 2024-25 season started.
That arrangement promised Ligue 1 clubs just 400 million euros ($471 million) a year.
Adding in other deals, including with international broadcasters, the French league was still far short of its stated ambition of bringing in one billion euros annually from TV.
As a result, Ligue 1's TV deal last season was down on its previous contract, leaving France trailing even further behind Europe's biggest leagues -- the Premier League's upcoming domestic rights deal for the next four years is valued at 2.02 billion euros per season.
Ranking the 5 French Ballon d'Or Winners
The Ballon d'Or remains football's most prestigious individual honour, awarded to the player judged to have delivered the best performances over a season.
Previously based on calendar-year achievements, the award is now given for performances across a full football season.
Since its inception in 1956, many of the game’s biggest stars have lifted the coveted golden ball. Lionel Messi leads the all-time winners with a record seven titles to his name.
Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema is the latest recipient, claiming the award after an outstanding season, ahead of Sadio Mane and Kevin De Bruyne.
His triumph made him the first French player to win the Ballon d'Or since Zinedine Zidane in 1998, and only the fifth French footballer in history to receive the honour.
YEN.com.gh takes a look at the five French icons who have claimed football’s ultimate individual prize.
Ousmane Dembélé backed to win Ballon d'Or
In a related report, YEN.com.gh noted that PSG boss Luis Enrique has backed one of his key players for this year's Ballon d'Or after their 2024/25 UEFA Champions League triumph.
Despite not finding the net in the final, Enrique heaped praise on Ousmane Dembélé, highlighting the winger's overall impact and explaining why he merits football’s most prestigious individual honour.
Source: AFP
