Vincent Labrune has been re-elected as the president of French football's governing body, Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), despite facing criticism over the handling of domestic media rights.
Labrune, who previously served as the Olympique de Marseille president, secured a resounding victory with 85.67% votes in the first ballot round at LFP's general assembly on September 10th. He defeated fellow board member Cyril Linette to serve another four-year term.
This is not his first triumph; he was initially elected as LFP president in September 2020, replacing Nathalie Boy de la Tour and defeating Michel Denisot, former president of Paris Saint-Germain and Châteauroux.
The TV rights saga
Despite his comfortable win, Labrune's tenure has not been without controversy. His re-election comes amid criticism over how the LFP managed the sale of top-tier Ligue 1 matches domestic rights. The issue was only resolved a few weeks before the start of the 2024-25 season and saw a significant drop in annual value.
The last-minute deal for the 2024-29 cycle with BeIN Sports and DAZN resulted in an annual valuation from these partners amounting to €500 million ($550.8 million), which is half compared to original fees sought by league - €1 billion annually.
LFP released statement:
“After a first mandate marked by emergency solutions and lasting responses to the unprecedented crisis in the financing of audiovisual rights, an era of transformation of professional football is now opening.”
Significant off-pitch activities during Labrune’s first term
One notable action during Labrune’s first term was an investment deal with private equity firm CVC Capital Partners in 2022. This deal led to creating a new entity that handles LFP’s TV rights where CVC holds a stake worth €1.5 billion or equivalent to13.5%.
This investment was a lifeline for French football, which was reeling from the collapse of its previous major domestic rights deal with Mediapro. The deal, worth over $4 billion across four seasons, collapsed after just four months. The fallout from the Mediapro debacle left several clubs on the brink of bankruptcy. Vincent Labrune and LFP had to approach the French government for financial assistance as both the coronavirus pandemic and Mediapro's collapse severely impacted league finances.
Despite these challenges, Labrune's re-election signifies confidence in his leadership. As he embarks on his second term as president, it remains to be seen how he will navigate these ongoing issues and what new strategies he will implement to ensure a more stable future for French football.
