Women's Elite 1 – “Women's rugby deserved this setting”: Eric Bayle, head of rugby on Canal +, details the arrangements for the first women's championship match broadcast live

This Saturday, Canal + will broadcast for the first time a women's Elite 1 match (Clermont-UBB), live on a premium channel. How was this idea born?

It is a common ambition, shared between the League, the Federation and Canal +. That of perpetuating and evolving the history of rugby on our broadcasts, by broadcasting a match from the women's championship. It's a test, and even a little more: in the back of our minds, we have the conviction that the idea is going to be good. It’s also symbolic, the weekend when our channel celebrates its 40th anniversary. There will be a huge sporting offer with rugby, football, motorcycle GP, F1… We liked the idea of ​​taking advantage of this moment to launch women's rugby on our broadcasts. It’s a nod to history.

This is all symbolic. We imagine that there is a more pragmatic approach behind…

The FFR and the LNR wanted to shed more light on women's rugby. And this Elite 1 championship deserves television attention today. So, we followed them in this project.

Wasn't that the case before?

We did a test in 2015. A match between Villeneuve-d'Ascq and Perpignan in a deserted Stadium Nord, on a pitch in poor condition and a match of very poor quality. So we didn't follow up… It was almost ten years ago and it was too early. I didn't feel the attraction that this could generate. But women's rugby has evolved in ten years. The elite championship has been restructured and tightened, from 12 to 10 teams. The technical level of the girls has clearly increased. To cover this first match, there will also be an important technical system and I believe that, from now on, women's rugby deserves it.

What will this device be?

The investment is significant and yet the cost remains under control. This was also the meaning of this opportunity: by mirroring the men's and women's matches, the League allowed us to maximize resources. There will therefore be the Clermont-UBB Top 14 match at 2:30 p.m. on Canal + Sport and following that, the same match for the women. A great poster, the revenge of the last final for which we will use the resources already on site. For women's rugby, this will ensure great exposure, with resources similar to those put into a Top 14 match. This is very important data.

At this point ?

We make TV, the visual impact must take place from the first images broadcast. This is essential. In the past, we have suffered from broadcasts in campaign stadiums that were dilapidated, empty and with limited production resources. There, we will be at the superb Marcel-Michelin Stadium, on a magnificent hybrid pitch, with high-quality lighting. There will be 10 or 12 cameras around the pitch and technical teams experienced in Top 14 matches. On commentary, it will be Nicolas Dupin de Beyssat and Marie-Alice Yahé, who is one of our flagship consultants. It's a Top 14 level duo and the result will be roughly equivalent to a Top 14 match. In the future, we will also rely on the talents of Marjorie Mayans, our other consultant. I repeat: women's rugby has progressed a lot in recent years, it deserved this setting and this quality exposure. He will have it.

How many matches will you broadcast during the season?

We don't have the precise idea yet. This will depend on the scheduling of the Top 14 and the ability of the clubs to organize these women's matches, raising or lowering the curtain. But we are going to move forward very quickly: starting next week, we must meet to agree on the date of the second poster.

For Canal +, is this an issue of image, engagement or ratings?

The ratings, no, not on Canal +. What matters to us is the satisfaction of our subscribers. With the development of women's sport, we can imagine a real interest from viewers for women's rugby which has become credible. The logic of our approach is both sporting and editorial. And there is this idea of ​​helping the development of women's sport which seems important to us. This is why we make the effort to work on the form, on the dressing of these matches. If rugby has made a breakthrough in the almost thirty years since it has been broadcast by Canal +, it is also due to the quality of its editorial treatment and its recording. We are convinced of it. We want to put the same thing in place for girls.

How was this perceived by the players?

I believe the subject is ripe. When we surveyed them, there was a very warm welcome from the managers, coaches and girls. Success will depend on their full collaboration, I believe they understand that. We will need to be as close as possible to them, so that they share moments with our subscribers. For example: we asked them to stay on the pitch, at half-time, so that we could capture these moments and the coaches' speeches. Like it was done at the time among boys! They accepted without any problem. There is this idea that through us, they will participate in the development of their sport. Together, I'm sure we'll get there.

This match will confront four Top 14 matches. Are you going to integrate it into the multiplex?

Quite. The meeting will be in full on Canal + Sport but it will be integrated into half-time of the multiplex, live since there is a fifteen-minute delay (kick-offs at 4:30 p.m. for the Top 14, 4:45 p.m. for the women's) . The result and a summary will also be given in the evening, in the CRC on Canal + premium. There will be another look at it at half-time of the Top 14 match on Saturday evening, La Rochelle-Paris. We really want to give great exposure to this first match on our airwaves.

Yahé and Mayans are now among your consultants: have they made you aware of this subject of women's rugby?

With Marjorie and Marie-Alice, we are on solid ground, consultants of undeniable credibility who are recognized for their work by all men who work in rugby. But they didn't need to convince me, it was just absolute logic.