beIN Sports has requested that all players in Ligue 1 wear a Visit Qatar badge on their shirts for matches broadcasted live next season, as part of its new television deal negotiations, as reported by senior officials from various French clubs.
According to multiple sources, the request was presented by the chairman of the Qatari-owned company, Nasser al-Khelaifi, who also holds the presidency at Paris Saint-Germain, during a recent meeting with the presidents of several Ligue 1 clubs. However, a source close to beIN Sports and PSG firmly denied that any such request was made. One owner, who wished to remain anonymous, referred to it as “an attempt to establish a captive league.” Earlier this month, the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) announced a deal with Dazn to broadcast the majority of live Ligue 1 matches until 2029, with beIN Sports contributing €100 million per season for one primetime match each week.
The LFP’s board reportedly ratified the agreement with Dazn on Thursday, but negotiations with beIN Sports are still in progress due to the “extremely complex” nature of their offer, as described by sources.
It is understood that their initial agreement with the LFP consisted of only €50 million per season for TV rights, supplemented by sponsorship deals. As per the French newspaper L’Équipe, recent negotiations have decreased the sponsorship portion to 20%. Prominent club figures noted that the request for players to don Visit Qatar badges has led to significant tension.
“What if I want to attract Saudi investors?” one commented. “They’re trying to create a captive league. From discussions among the presidents, it’s clear there are several new conditions being proposed.”
The representative from PSG and beIN Sports characterized the claims as “an outrageous campaign from those clubs seeking to launch a direct LFP channel, instead of working with traditional broadcasters.”
Dazn is expected to pay €400 million per season for eight out of nine matches per round, although this agreement might include an exit clause after two years if subscriber numbers do not reach 1.5 million. This deal marks a substantial reduction from the €800 million contract established by Mediapro in 2018, despite LFP president Vincent Labrune’s expectation that the next round of TV rights would surpass the €1 billion threshold.
Previously, Labrune had proposed the creation of an in-house TV channel in collaboration with Warner Bros Discovery’s Max streaming service before finalizing the agreement with Dazn and beIN Sports.
The LFP has not provided any comments regarding this matter.
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