Far from having won the war, French football won, Wednesday, August 4, a small victory which should put balm in its heart. The Professional Football League (LFP) won its summary against BeIN Sports in which it demanded that the pay-TV operator produce and broadcast the two weekly matches acquired 332 million euros for the 2020-2024 seasons.
The Paris court thus demanded that BeIN Sports respect the contract signed on May 29, 2018, “Under penalty of one million euros for a period of three months per day of delay observed”, indicates the order communicated Wednesday. BeIN Sports will therefore have to program, produce and broadcast the Ligue 1 matches on the BeIN Sports 1 Channel, promote them and pay the related invoices.
In this legal imbroglio, the court decision reassures the LFP, insofar as it secures the contract with Qatari. In fact, the latter tries to reduce its scope. If he won this lot in 2018 during the previous call for tenders, he says that we must now turn to Canal +, with which he signed a subcontracting agreement in 2020, and which produces and broadcasts the matches.
Appointment of a conciliator
However, Canal + does not hear it that way. The Vivendi subsidiary has wanted to withdraw from Ligue 1 since June 11, the date on which the League brought Amazon into the mix by ceding to it the matches left vacant by the Spanish Mediapro. Last week, Canal + terminated its own subcontract with BeIN SPorts, which immediately sued it. The Nanterre court will say, Thursday, August 5, whether this termination is valid or not. Capital, this decision will condition the payments due to French football.
Because, despite the court’s decision, BeIN Sports is not going to pay its bills. As Mediapro had done eight months ago, the Qatari subsidiary placed itself under the protection of the commercial court, arguing that it could not, without the manna from Canal +, pay its installments. The next one, worth 56 million euros, is set for August 5. It is to be used to pay football clubs on August 16. A conciliator has been appointed. 48 hours from the resumption of the championship, club presidents do not know if two out of ten matches in the championship will be paid, produced and broadcast.
