Paris (AFP)
The Professional Football League (LFP) announced Friday that it has reached an agreement with the broadcaster beIN Sports for the payment of the balance of international rights for Ligue 1, estimated at 16 million euros by a source close to the matter.
"After the agreement obtained with Canal + and beIN Sports on domestic audiovisual rights, this decision allows us to definitively settle the rights owed by broadcasters to the LFP for the 2019/2020 season," said the body.
Professional clubs experienced a stir in April with Canal + and BeIN who decided to suspend the payment of TV rights for France following the cessation of the competition decided in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
A first agreement was found at the end of April after negotiations between a delegation of four L1 presidents, including Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, both boss of Paris SG and beIN, and the two broadcasters, who agreed to pay for the matches already disputed.
But the question of international rights, estimated at 70 million euros per year, remained to be settled.
The minutes of the LFP Board of Directors of May 20 mentioned "a balance remaining to be negotiated of at least EUR 16 million on the international rights contract". This sum corresponds to the proportion of matches already played that covered the next deadline, according to the source consulted by AFP.
In addition, "the LFP Bureau recalled that the 2020/2021 season will be able to restart as agreed next August with friendly preparation matches in July," said the body, which expects a resumption on August 23.
This announcement comes the day after that, much awaited, of Prime Minister Edouard Philippe who authorized the resumption of collective training from June 2 with a strict health protocol.
Olympique Lyonnais reacted by announcing its desire to play friendly matches in July to prepare for the knockout round of the Champions League return against Juventus Turin (first leg: 1-0 victory), and the final of the Coupe de la Ligue against Paris SG, which he could play in August.
"The LFP is now focusing on a resumption of the season allowing the reception of all or part of the public under the sanitary conditions which will be defined with the public authorities", she also indicated, opening the door to a resumption with spectators.
© 2020 AFP