A billion and dust (gold!) Per season. A 60% increase in income. The recognition, finally of our domestic football… The day after the signing of the 2020-2024 TV rights between the National League and the “generous” Sino-Catalan group Mediapro, the front page of “L’Equipe” dated May 30, 2018 is barred a golden graph that soars to this record figure: € 1.153 billion. “The big bang” headlines the specialized newspaper with figures and supporting promises. Two and a half years later the jackpot has turned into a financial disaster. Bankruptcy threatens, bankruptcy dreaded. Sheltering at best behind the screen of the pandemic which has revised the interest of sporting events (that of sacrosanct football in the lead) to the drop, Mediapro no longer pays. After worrying, the leaders panic. Salaries and charges have remained, so we have to pay yes, but with what?
Rebate required
The threats remain powerless, the conciliation meetings useless, the conflict dragged on. On Monday, the “advances” of the conciliation led by Marc Sénéchal, legal representative responsible for arbitrating the impossible agreement were presented to the leaders. The procedure can last four months, an unbearable time for clubs lacking cash. In October, Mediapro had not honored the second deadline of its contract, (172.30 M €), unsurprisingly, it repeated this month for a fairly close amount.
Time is running out but the major diffuser of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 believes that it will not have to pay as long as the conciliation process opened with the Nanterre court is underway … The group chaired by Jaume Moures demands a rebate estimating the “devalued product” by the health crisis. The League, which is preparing for a tense general assembly tomorrow, remains inflexible fearing that in any case, Mediapro cannot settle the slightest debt and that Canal +, another broadcaster, in turn asks for a discount.
“A blessed day …”
The track of the transfer of part of the rights of the new “payer” to the encrypted channel does not seem to be possible. The “disappearance” of Mediapro mentioned here and there would of course allow a new call for tenders which would take a lot of time and would not settle the large sums due. In addition Maxime Saada, the boss of Canal has already indicated that he would not reinvest at a loss in football and could also judge the depreciated product …
The League led by Vincent Labrune would have the possibility of denouncing the contract but would then advance towards a long and inevitably costly legal battle.
During this time, you have to live and therefore play, and maintain the pros. State aid and loans (which will have to be repaid) seem as useful as an analysis by Didier Deschamps on a night of defeat. Jean-Pierre Caillot, the Rémois president of the college L1 does not hide his fears. “It would be irresponsible not to imagine a possible suspension of payment. When you are a show organizer and you have no income, neither spectators nor hospitality, it cannot last long…” The sentence of his predecessor Jean-Michel Aulas (one of the most suspicious of Mediapro at the time) during the great evening of May still resonates. “It’s a blessed day for French football.” Amen!
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