The “Low-cost Cactus” awarded by 60 million consumers to DAZN marks a new episode of failure for the broadcaster, which had already angered Ligue 1 fans in France. Between broken promises and poor performances, a look back at a fiasco heralding an upheaval in the way football is consumed.
When DAZN secured the Ligue 1 broadcast rights for this season, the hope was that the fan experience would improve or, at the very least, match that offered by Amazon Prime the previous season . But disillusionment quickly set in.
A subscription initially offered at €29.99, then reduced to €19.90, was not enough to convince fans. In question, a product considered unworthy of modern broadcasting standards: cheap production, reduction in the number of cameras by almost a third compared to the Amazon era, and absence of editorial programs around the matches. Today, DAZN only has 400,000 subscribers, a figure far from initial expectations.
The commercial failure of a low-cost strategy for DAZN
In his number, 60 million consumers does not hesitate to denounce the mediocrity of the DAZN offer: “Ligue 1 fans paid too much for a low-end service. » And for good reason, the level of quality perceived by subscribers was not up to the asking price. DAZN seems to have relied on a minimalist approach, which backfired.
Romain Molina, journalist specializing in football, is very critical: “Everything is low cost. The number of cameras has, for example, decreased by a third compared to last season. » A testimony which illustrates the striking gap between the expectations of spectators and the means actually deployed.
For Ligue 1 fans, DAZN has only caused frustration. Comparisons with Amazon Prime, which had established a standard in terms of broadcast quality, are ruthless: “A pre- and post-match show, careful sound and images, all of that has disappeared on DAZN”recalls Molina.
The journalist adds: “This is the first time that we have made such a mediocre offer to football fans, which was respected neither by the clubs, nor by the broadcaster, nor by the League, which manages the production of the matches. » A criticism that goes beyond DAZN to encompass the institutional players in French football.
A reflection on the future of sports broadcasting
The DAZN case calls into question the evolution of the economic model of television rights. While supporters are looking for an immersive and quality experience, the choice of a broadcaster focusing on low cost has shown its limits.
If this edition of Ligue 1 will remain a dark episode for DAZN, it raises a crucial question: who, tomorrow, will be able to reconcile qualitative requirements and economic constraints to offer an experience worthy of the enthusiasm that football arouses? One thing is certain: fans are not ready to compromise on quality, even at the cost of a low-cost offering. DAZN can still change its mind next season, but it is not certain that all the lessons have been learned…
