French soccer's governing body, the LFP (Ligue de Football Professionnel), has recently informed clubs that they will receive a reduced initial rights fee payment for the 2024-25 season. This is due to pay-TV broadcaster BeIN Sports' delay in paying its share of the rights fee.
The LFP sent an email to all clubs on Wednesday, August 28th, explaining that the initial rights fee payment would be approximately 24% less than initially expected. This shortfall is attributed to BeIN Sports' delay in fulfilling its financial obligations towards the league.
DAZN fulfils its obligations
In contrast, DAZN, a global streaming service that recently acquired most of the broadcasting rights for top-flight Ligue 1 matches alongside BeIN Sports, has already paid its majority share. The disparity between these two broadcasters highlights an ongoing issue with late payments from BeIN.
This isn't a new occurrence with Qatar-based operator BeIN. The broadcaster was also late in paying a €38 million ($42.1 million) rights fee at the end of last season. At that time, it cited Ramadan as being responsible for this delayed payment.
For this season, BeIN holds broadcasting rights for one Ligue 1 match per week and all matches from second-tier Ligue 2. It will pay a total of €78.5 million per year for top-flight games and €40 million annually for Ligue 2 matches.
Impact on French clubs
The news about delayed payments comes as another blow to French clubs already struggling financially due to domestic TV right issues. The five-season domestic rights deals with DAZN and BeIn were only finalized in late July after multiple missed tender deadlines prolonged negotiations.
Over recent weeks, the LFP has been working tirelessly to finalize its broadcast rights for the next cycle. However, with no deal in sight in the UK, it recently launched a new Ligue 1 Pass streaming platform that will show every game.
The delay in BeIN's payment of its share of broadcasting rights fees is a significant concern for French soccer clubs. It not only affects their financial stability but also impacts their ability to plan and invest effectively for future seasons. As such, it is crucial that all parties involved in broadcasting deals fulfill their obligations promptly and reliably to ensure the continued growth and success of French football.
