It is to wonder if he does not do too much. A good part of the presidents of Ligue 1 seems to dedicate a support as new as infallible to the president of PSGNasser Al-Khelaïfi, designated by the Bureau of the League (LFP) to negotiate with Canal + on TV rights. The Parisian boss has all the confidence of club leaders, as several of them assured Sunday.
"We have more than confidence", hammered during a telephone press point Bernard Caïazzo, the president of the union of the clubs of L1 Premier League and the supervisory board of Saint-Etienne. "I am not sure that in place of Nasser, in the same situation, many would have accepted the mission. On his part, it shows a courage and a real will to defend the interest of football [...] If we had only one doubt on his commitment, we would not have (designated) ", added Mr. Caïazzo , member of the LFP Bureau.
"Nasser did not offer, we asked him"
Al-Khelaïfi, although boss of beIN Media Group, the parent company of beIN Sports, the other broadcaster of the French Championship, was chosen by this Bureau along with three other presidents of L1 clubs to chat with Canal +, the encrypted channel having suspended payments relating to the TV rights contract due to the suspension of the championship due to coronavirus.
A choice that was not without raising questions about possible conflicts of interest, in particular if this negotiating committee were to also meet with beIN Sports, which also interrupted its payments. "The people we send will defend the 40 professional clubs in Ligue 1 and Ligue 2. There are all the egos to put aside, the only thing that matters is to save everyone and for that we send our best (elements) ", retorted Nicolas Holveck, the new president of Rennes. “Nasser did not offer, we asked him. We have to be clear, ”insisted Gérard Lopez, president of Lille.
At the front with Sadran, Eyraud and Rivère
Associated with Olivier Sadran (Toulouse), Jacques-Henri Eyraud (Marseille) and Jean-Pierre Rivère (Nice), "NAK" will have the heavy task of "clarifying the situation", according to Caïazzo, while Canal + was to pay 110 million on Sunday euros to the LFP, a windfall then redistributed to clubs. Part of which (43 million euros), according to several leaders, would be due because it corresponds to matches "already delivered". An argument that Canal refutes.
"One might think that (Al-Khelaïfi) is one of us who can be the most reassured (faced with the crisis, given the finances of the PSG), stay in his corner and take care of nobody, and it is just the opposite. It is an incredible investment, ”said Nicolas Holveck.
Sport
Coronavirus: Accor has "paid the entire 2019-2020 season" to PSG
- Sport
- Coronavirus
- PSG
- Tv rights
- League 1
- Nasser Al-Khelaïfi