The French Professional Football League (LFP) granted this Friday the bulk of the broadcasting rights of the first and second division to Amazon until 2024, while the group Channel +, who had been in second place, criticized that choice and indicated that it will not broadcast Ligue 1.
The amounts of the agreement were not disclosed, although the local press points to a total of 600 million euros.
The LFP Board of Directors specified in a statement that Amazon's lots include 304 top-flight matches, including the top ten, and 304 of second during the next three seasons (2021/2022, 2022/2023 and 2023/2024).
The president of the LFP, Vincent Labrune, pointed out in the note that the decision was taken unanimously by the Council and allows French football to benefit from the arrival of “a new great actor, Amazon.”
The third batch was for Canal +, with 76 first-rate games, including 28 of their choice.
However, the channel controlled by the Vivendi group decided to withdraw and regretted that the LFP has chosen Amazon instead of “its long-time partners”, itself and beIN SPORTS.
“Therefore, Canal + will not broadcast Ligue 1,” said the company, which advanced its decision to offer its subscribers for the first time the best two matches of each day of the Champions League and, on August 11, the Super Cup between Chelsea and Villarreal.
Free or beIN SPORTS are other groups that distribute matches of the professional leagues in France until 2024.
The broadcasting rights went up for auction due to the untimely departure of the Spanish group Mediapro in December 2020, which left French football in a delicate economic situation.