Ligue 1 TV rights: distribution contracts at centre of next tender | OneFootball

The LFP is exploring an early market call for Ligue 1 TV rights from 2029, a move that could shape its stance on current Ligue 1+ distribution deals for the next two seasons. According to L'Équipe, the consultation could begin as early as October.

The prospective cycle would run from 2029-30 to 2033-34, after the current Ligue 1+ exclusivity period ends. In March, a strategic note from Nicolas de Tavernost, then head of LFP Media and now chair of Stade Rennais’ board, urged the league to test the market by year end.

In recent weeks Olivier Bramly, de Tavernost’s successor at LFP Media, has met senior figures across the broadcast industry, including Canal+, to gauge interest in the plan.

Contracts with Ligue 1+ distributors are understood to contain an exit clause that can be triggered next March. If a heavyweight commits strongly for 2029, the LFP could use that clause to exit current arrangements and invite the winner to take over the league’s platform exclusively, effectively bringing the product forward by two years.

That possibility may encourage a bidder to seek the entire schedule, since the LFP can now sell Ligue 1 in a single lot, with a view to later assuming Ligue 1+. Caution remains after recent troubled tenders, but the March deadline is likely to push the LFP to test the market value of its product again.

Source: L'Équipe

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