Canal + has requested a new call for tenders for Ligue 1 TV rights, posing the threat of a drastic drop in revenues for the clubs.

The president of Ajaccio, in Ligue 2, strongly criticized the attitude of the encrypted channel.

"We get stabbed in the back," he responded.

INTERVIEW

French football is sinking into the crisis.

After the Mediapro fiasco, it's Canal + 's turn to put pressure on professional clubs.

Maxime Saada, the boss of the encrypted channel, asked Tuesday evening in an interview with

Figaro

the launch of a new call for tenders for the TV rights of Ligue 1. Consequence: the income allocated to clubs, already very affected by the Covid crisis and that caused by the default of Mediapro, could fall further.

A situation which greatly worries the president of Ajaccio Christian Leca, contacted by Europe 1. "It is unthinkable that French football is no longer broadcast on the channels of the Canal + group. It would be worse than a mistake, it would be a fault" , he reacted.

"We make an effort and on the other side we get stabbed in the back."

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The threat of a black screen

Canal + has also announced its intention to return by February to the Professional Football League its share of two matches, currently broadcast on the encrypted channel.

To avoid a black screen, Maxime Saada says he is ready to offer "pay per view" meetings, a fee-for-service, pending a new call for tenders.

A solution that does not suit Christian Leca.

"Everyone will be the loser, and they will be the first. It seems a little light to me, the pay per view", judged the president of Ajaccio.

Faced with this rebound, concern is mounting within French football.

"There will be bankruptcy filings very quickly. Canal will pay just enough to keep football alive, but just barely," predicted a president of Ligue 1, questioned in the columns of the

Parisian

.