In response to the anger of Ligue 2 fans, BeIN Sports has agreed to move one of the seven matches from Friday to Saturday evening.
Exclusive broadcaster of Ligue 2 this season, BeIN Sports has faced a lot of criticism from supporters since the championship resumed. Mainly because of the scheduling of matches, seven of which are scheduled for Friday evening. In this context, the sports channel decided this Thursday to make a (first) gesture in favor of fans by shifting, for each day starting from the first weekend of October, one of the seven matches from Friday to Saturday evening (8 p.m.), in prime time on BeIN 1. A significant step forward? The National Supporters Association (ANS), which attended today’s meeting with the Professional Football League (LFP) and the broadcaster, is still unsatisfied.
Changes deemed insufficient
“We are forced to admit that these proposals, however welcome and constructive they may be, are very insufficient. We naturally understand the constraints of the broadcasters and the LFP, whether in the reconciliation of the broadcasting of Ligue 2 with that of other competing sporting competitions and whether in the need to best promote this championship by identifying day by day the matches to be broadcast on the so-called “premium” slots. But these proposals only very partially respond to the constraints weighing on tens of thousands of supporters whose professional, family or associative life is difficult to reconcile with the matches that will be played on Friday evening and some Monday evenings,” the ANS said in a statement.
Furthermore, “an internal reflection, without commitment, which could lead to submitting to the vote of the clubs a shift of the Friday matches from 8 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. or 8:45 p.m., so that the supporters have time to get to the stadium “, has been considered, continues the association. Finally, the meeting on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. has been brought forward to 2 p.m. to accommodate the programming of BeIN Sports, which has also ensured “that no matches will be scheduled on Monday during eight days out of the 32 days on the weekend.” “These eight matches will be rescheduled on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. or 8:00 p.m. As a result, three matches will be broadcast on Saturday during these eight days.” details the ANS.
