Status quo. This Thursday, the few sentences about the programming of Ligue 2 from the director of BeIN Sports, Florent Houzot, added fuel to the fire. “The position is clear and precise, the multiplex with seven matches on Saturday evening, it will not be possible. We are clear and honest, our catalog is rich, we do not have enough channels. With 40 million, we want the programming we want”, indicated the boss of the channel in front of the media during the back-to-school press conference. “If Mr. Houzot’s objective is to continue to throw oil on the fire, then we must at least recognize this competence”, concedes Pierre Barthélemy, lawyer of the National Association of Supporters on X.
Dialogue at a standstill
This statement “surprised” several Ligue 2 leaders who were questioned, particularly regarding its timing. This very firm statement comes a few days after a first meeting between all parties. It did not produce anything and the positions did not change. Another could be held before the second division resumes next week. This first meeting “was sometimes tense”, explained the channel’s director, “we must meet again, but it must be in a climate of serenity and the violence must stop”. To the point of finding a quick solution? Not so sure.
In this conflict, the League still hopes to find a compromise before the 4th day of Ligue 2 while in the entourage of the resigning Minister of Sports, we want to recall that “dialogue is the only solution” to calm this situation. “After the first meeting, the broadcaster and the League were to come back with proposals. Reading the words of the director of beIN Sports, we understand that there is no desire for change, it is incomprehensible and it penalizes everyone, even the broadcaster”, explains Corentin Le Fur, deputy of the 3rd constituency of Côtes-d’Armor, very invested in this subject of the programming of Ligue 2. This Thursday, the National Association of Supporters was received by the Senators in charge of the commission of inquiry into the financialization of football.
Supporters are not set for Saturday night
In front of the media, Florent Houzot explained this Thursday morning that “the multiplex on Saturday evening, it will not be possible”. The representatives of the supporters have never set as a condition a broadcast of Ligue 2 on Saturday evening. The ANS is open to all possibilities on this question of the time slot, such as for example a multiplex scheduled at the beginning of the afternoon, at 2:30 p.m. On this possibility, the boss of the channel made it known in comments reported by L’Equipe: “If they (the clubs, editor’s note) vote in majority for a multiplex of L2 on Saturday, it will be without beIN Sports”. The hypothesis of a withdrawal of beIN from Ligue 2 had already leaked in several media after the first weekend of protest. “Money is the only means of negotiation and pressure that they have”, affirms the “capo” of a group of supporters of the second division.
While recalling that it injects 40 million euros per year, the channel’s management is now hoping for public support from Ligue 2 clubs. Most clubs have been silent on this subject since the start of the championship. “I did not at all appreciate the statement by the director of BeIN Sports broadcast today,” replied the boss of a powerful Ligue 2 club in a short message. Another continued: “We must work with beIN Sports, which is an important partner, there is no problem on that point. But we must not say ‘Amen’ to everything the broadcaster says.” And added: “We must stop saying that all the clubs are with beIN Sports. We must discuss and find a compromise.” Some presidents where the protest remained weak during the first three days made it known that they fear a contagion of the protest during the next matches, if no solution is found during the discussions.
If no solution, security reinforced for the next day?
The authorities are following this conflict very closely. Since the start of the season, several Ligue 2 matches have been classified by the DNLH services, due to fears surrounding this protest movement. Local authorities are also being made aware before sensitive matches. Dialogue is the only solution to end the conflict, but the statements made by the boss of beIN Sports on Thursday are very far from the supporters’ demands. If no solution is found before the next Ligue 2 matchday, security for certain matches will be reinforced. Some clubs could call on additional stewards. “When you see a Lorient-Red Star, two clubs with supporters very involved in this conflict, I hope that a way out of the crisis will be found quickly because the anger could grow,” concedes a general manager of a Ligue 2 club.
- RMC Sport
