From LFP Rejection to Marseille Power: The Complex Path of Stéphane Richard to OM Presidency

The unveiling of Stéphane Richard as the fresh president of Olympique de Marseille on Friday morning was more than a simple executive appointment; it was the culmination of a year-long strategic chess match within the upper echelons of French professional football. Whereas the Marseille faithful now look to the 64-year-old former Orange CEO to steer the club, the road to the Stade Vélodrome was paved with a high-profile rejection from the very league the club competes in.

Before stepping into the presidency of OM, Richard spent over a year eyeing a different seat of power: the role of Director General of LFP Media. This commercial subsidiary of the Ligue became a vacancy after the departure of Ben Morel in late 2024, sparking a quiet but intense battle for control over the league’s commercial direction. For Richard, the role represented a chance to merge his corporate pedigree with his interest in the sport, but he found himself caught in a power struggle between investment funds and league leadership.

The LFP Media Power Struggle

Richard’s bid for the LFP Media role was not a solo effort. He entered the race with significant backing from some of the most influential actors in the game. Most notably, he was supported by CVC, the investment fund that injected €1.5 billion into French football in exchange for a 13% stake in LFP Media. For CVC, Richard represented a safe, experienced pair of hands capable of maximizing the return on their massive investment.

The support extended beyond the financiers. Joseph Oughourlian, the president of RC Lens and the leadership at Olympique de Marseille—then under Pablo Longoria—were firmly in Richard’s corner. Longoria had personally met with Richard to offer his support, while Philippe Diallo, the president of the French Football Federation (FFF), also held meetings with the former Orange boss to discuss the potential appointment.

Despite this formidable coalition, the appointment required joint validation from both CVC and the presidency of the Ligue. This is where Richard’s ambitions hit a wall. Vincent Labrune, the president of the Ligue, along with several other club presidents, blocked the candidacy.

‘Business’ vs. ‘Political’ Profiles

The rejection of Stéphane Richard was not based on a lack of credentials, but on a disagreement over the type of leadership the Ligue required. According to reports, Labrune and his allies felt that Richard’s profile was too “political” for the specific needs of LFP Media. They were seeking a leader who was more aggressively “business-oriented” to handle the commercial pressures of the league.

This ideological divide led the Ligue to favor Nicolas de Tavernost, who was eventually chosen for the role in 2025. While Tavernost secured the necessary consensus to start in the spring of 2025, his tenure ended in resignation, leaving the LFP and CVC once again searching for a replacement. This vacancy in the league’s commercial wing creates an interesting dynamic as Richard now takes the helm at one of the league’s most influential clubs.

For those following the administrative side of the game, this tension reflects a broader struggle within Ligue 1 over how the league should be managed—whether as a political entity representing clubs or as a streamlined commercial product designed for global growth.

The TV Rights Battle and the ‘Historical Imbalance’

During his unveiling on Friday, Richard did not shy away from the most pressing issue facing French football: the television rights. He described the current situation as a “historical imbalance” that will not be resolved overnight. This perspective is deeply rooted in his own professional history; during his tenure at Orange, the company served as a Ligue 1 broadcaster, and Richard was the one who made the decision in 2012 not to renew the contract.

Richard acknowledged that while OM is currently financially robust thanks to its ownership, the club faces the same systemic challenges as other French teams. The struggle for sustainable TV revenue remains the primary hurdle for the league’s competitiveness on the European stage.

The stakes for this discussion are immediate. A new tender for Ligue 1 rights covering the 2029-2034 cycle could potentially be launched by the end of this year. Richard’s transition from a rejected LFP Media candidate to the president of OM places him in a unique position: he is now a primary stakeholder in the very rights negotiations he once oversaw from the broadcaster’s side and sought to manage from the league’s side.

What This Means for Olympique de Marseille

Richard enters the presidency of OM with a clear understanding of the financial levers of the sport. His appointment suggests a desire for a leader who can navigate the complex intersection of corporate finance and sports politics. While he was deemed “too political” for the LFP Media role, those same qualities may be exactly what OM needs to exert influence within the Ligue and the FFF.

The club’s financial stability provides a foundation, but the “mission” Richard faces is twofold: maintaining on-field success while fighting for a fairer distribution and higher valuation of TV rights. With his history at Orange and his connections to CVC, Richard possesses a network that few other club presidents can match.

As Richard settles into his role in Marseille, the football world will be watching to observe if the man the Ligue rejected can now reshape the league from the outside. The tension between the OM presidency and the LFP leadership is likely to remain a defining narrative of the coming seasons.

The next major checkpoint for the new administration will be the potential launch of the 2029-2034 TV rights tender later this year.

Do you reckon a “political” profile is what OM needs to challenge the LFP leadership? Let us know in the comments.