French Rugby League open tender for TV
April 18, 2016
By Chris Forrester
France’s Rugby League (LNR) is today launching its tender offer for TV rights for its 2019-2023 seasons, and covering its ‘Top 14’ clubs.
The League is launching the tender well in advance of its normal renewal pattern saying it wants to improve visibility over a longer-term strategic plan, which it plans on discussing and agreeing in July.
The current rights are in the hands of Canal Plus which holds them through 2019 having paid €72 million annually for the coverage rights.
One complication is the on-going cooperation between Canal+ and BeIN Sports which might well limit the amount of cash on the table, as well as how favourably – or otherwise – France’s competition regulators would look upon any ‘monopoly’ should there be limited bidders for the games.