beIN Sports a deadbeat? Not quite. The imbroglio with the LFP continues and the Qatari channel does not budge, as long as certain elements of the contract which binds the two entities are not lifted, there will be no payment for the Ligue 1 match acquired by beIN Sports. According to information from RMC Sport, the second payment may not be honored either… Meanwhile, some clubs are sticking their tongues out…
Since the start of the 2024-2025 season, Ligue 1 has faced an increasingly tense situation with one of its main broadcasters, beIN Sports. While the Qatari channel acquired the rights to broadcast a Ligue 1 match every Saturday at 5 p.m. for an annual amount of 98.5 million euros, no payment has yet been made almost two months after the launch of the competition. This lack of payment places the Professional Football League (LFP) and the clubs in a delicate situation.
Co-diffusion at the heart of the blockage
On July 31, a last minute agreement was reached between the LFP and beIN Sports, relating to the distribution of a weekly poster, as well as a sponsorship component of 20 million euros. If the money is ready to be paid, beIN still blocks payment of the first installment, arguing that some of its demands have not been met. Among these demands, the channel wants the League to accept the principle of co-broadcasting certain matches, a request that the LFP categorically refuses, fearing that this would harm the future valuation of TV rights. Indeed, accepting this request would amount to reducing competition between broadcasters and would force the LFP to renegotiate the contract with DAZN: unthinkable.
This blockage resulted in a shortfall of 24% for the clubs, or around 15 million euros, not paid for TV rights for the month of August. The next deadline in October is also in jeopardy, which puts clubs in an increasingly difficult financial situation. A club president got carried away, specifies RMC Sport, declaring: “They have been distributing our product for free for almost two months. We are being held hostage, this cannot continue.”
The sponsorship part offered by beIN Sports is a bit of a challenge!
Tension is also rising around the sponsorship aspect. Indeed, out of the 98.5 million euros annually, beIN Sports must generate 20 million in sponsorship from clubs on behalf of Qatar Tourism. This aspect, extremely complex to implement, is struggling to move forward, with several clubs still not having submitted their proposals. Competitive conflicts with sponsors already in place in some clubs further complicate the situation.
At the same time, beIN Sports must face competition from DAZN, the main broadcaster of Ligue 1, which has respected all its payment deadlines. While DAZN pays around 1.2 million euros per match for its eight weekly posters, beIN agreed to pay nearly 3 million euros per match for its single match, highlighting the quality of the posters offered (PSG, OM, ASSE). However, this price is now being called into question by the channel, which is trying to reduce its bill through co-broadcast requests and sponsorship.
Club presidents and the LFP are hoping for a rapid release, because the accumulation of delays could further weaken the teams’ cash flow. With the next Ligue 1 college meeting set for October 17, the LFP will have to find a solution to get out of this impasse, before the financial crisis worsens further.
