BeIN Sports assigned LFP Media before the Paris economic activity court and claims 29 million euros in compensation.
Bein Sports, broadcasting a nine game per day of Ligue 1, assigned LFP Media before the Paris economic activity court to challenge the restrictions imposed on it since the start of last season, claiming it 29 million euros in compensation, according to several sources close to the file, confirming information from the team.
For its part, LFP Media, the commercial subsidiary of the Professional Football League, in charge of TV rights in Ligue 1, also assigned BeIN Sports summary proceedings before this same Paris economic affairs court to obtain the payment of the full deadline of 18 million euros, due to July 15 and of which Bein has only paid 14 million so far.
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A showdown for the 5 p.m. match
The two parties have been launched in an showdown since the start of the season about the French championship poster on Saturday at 5 p.m. for which Bein pays 78.5 million euros annually, ensuring the sole income guaranteed to the LFP after the end of the contract with Dazn, the main broadcaster in 2024-2025. For this poster, the chain has the choice 1 or choice 2 alternating, but cannot broadcast more than eight times the meeting of the same team in the season, nor program the same club twice in a row.
“What BeIN Sports demands are not new rights, nor a contract renegotiation, it is a fair treatment for the exceptional investment that we currently carry out (and for almost two decades) in the rights of Ligue 1, Ligue 2 and French international matches”explained Yousef Al-Obaidly the leader of BeIN Sports in France in a letter addressed at the end of July to Nicolas de Tavernost, managing director of LFP Media, consulted by AFP. “These unjustified and disproportionate restrictions imposed on beIN Sports are no longer necessary given the early termination of the LFP Media contract with Dazn” continued the Qatari leader.
To replace the British platform Dazn, LFP Media, the commercial company of the LFP, launched its own platform baptized Ligue 1 + on August 15 on the resumption of the championship. “With Bein, there is a contract that has been signed, in good and due form. It must be respected and applied. We are always open to discussions, negotiations, proposals, but they must be balanced. The partners of the LFP and LFP Media will have to get used to respecting the contracts, that is to establish a climate of confidence ”said Nicolas de Tavernost in an interview with AFP in mid-August. Despite their respective assignments, the two parties continue to negotiate to find an agreement to the dispute between them.
