Lyon and PSG snub Ligue 1+ for early-season broadcasts | OneFootball

Lyon and PSG have steered their early-season broadcasts to Canal+ and beIN Sports rather than Ligue 1+, a setback for the league’s platform, which will carry Ligue 1 exclusively this season.

According to L'Équipe, Lyon kept their friendlies on OL Play instead of Ligue 1+, a move not welcomed at LFP Media. More significantly, Lyon opted for Canal+ to show their Champions League third qualifying round, despite a financial offer from Ligue 1+.

As seeds, Lyon could face Union Saint-Gilloise, Sparta Prague, NEC Nijmegen, Heart of Midlothian or Sturm Graz. First legs are on 4 and 5 August, with the returns on 11 August. If they advance, the play-off round on 18-19 and 25-26 August will also be on Canal+, which holds UEFA rights.

PSG have chosen beIN Sports for their first two friendlies. They meet Mallorca in Spain on 5 August, then Manchester United on 8 August. PSG and beIN Sports share a Qatari shareholder, easing negotiations.

The double European champions’ absence from Ligue 1+ does little to boost a platform stuck around 1.1 million subscribers. Marseille and Monaco’s early friendlies could partly land on Ligue 1+, with Marseille in talks to show one or more games.

Marseille host Athletic Bilbao on 9 August at the Vélodrome, with broadcast details still unconfirmed. In total, Ligue 1+ is expected to air a little over 30 pre-season matches and will show the Trophée des champions, Lens v PSG, on Sunday 16 August.

Source: L'Équipe