Téléfoot faces closure
December 10, 2020
From David Del Valle in Madrid
Téléfoot, Mediapro’s French football TV channel which has some 600,000 subscribers, could close down as a result of the TV rights conflict between Mediapro and La Ligue – the game’s governing body.
According to L’Equipe, staff have been informed about a possible closure unless a solution is reached between both parties.
Mediapro failed to pay La Ligue €172 million in October 2020, asking for a discount in the fee as a result of the pandemic. It is also unlikely to make the next payment this week. Mediapro has urged La Ligue to reduce the charge by 25 per cent and extend the contract until the end of the 2025-26 campaign.
As a result of the lack of payments, the French Ligue had to ask for a bank loan of €120 million and in May requested a subsidy of €224 million from the French Government. La Ligue is seeking new financial resources to address the situation. If no solution is found, even football clubs may face financial difficulties.
Meanwhile, Canal+ would be willing to pay €690 million per season for all La Ligue TV rights.