Europe's Ligue 1+ aspiring to win public favor and develop a fresh economic structure in the continent's football scene
Ligue 1+ Launches as a New Era for French Football
Ligue 1, France's premier football league, is stepping into a new era with the launch of Ligue 1+, a self-operated streaming channel. This move aims to secure more stable and direct revenue streams amid changing media consumption trends.
The creation of Ligue 1+ marks a significant shift in the league's broadcast model, which historically relied heavily on TV rights for its income. However, recent difficulties in securing lucrative traditional media deals have sharply reduced that revenue, pushing Ligue 1 to develop new distribution strategies such as its own league-operated streaming channel.
Ligue 1+ is a direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming platform launched by the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) to regain control over media distribution and revenue. Prime Video has partnered to carry Ligue 1+ content in France, allowing access to users without requiring a Prime membership, which helps extend reach and attract more paid subscribers.
The first major league game to be broadcast by Ligue 1+ will be the Rennes-Marseille match on August 15, marking a milestone in the league's history. The broadcast will begin with the "Kick Off" show on August 15 at 19:45. Fans of Ligue 1 will recognise familiar faces on the TV screens, as well as newcomers, with Marina Lorenzo and Smaïl Bouabdellah presenting the Saturday evening 90+1 show and the live pre-match coverage from the stadium on Sunday evening for Ligue 1+.
Ligue 1+ will offer subscribers the possibility of sharing a subscription on two different screens. The channel will broadcast 24/7 on a linear channel, in addition to the platform. Despite being the clubs' channel, Ligue 1+ will not shy away from criticism and will treat everything that happens at the stadium with freedom of tone.
The channel aims to be as immersive as possible, with cameras in locker rooms, buses, and interviews with substituted players. Ligue 1+ will also offer reruns of legendary championship matches, documentary series, and is considering a daily animated program. The channel targets 1 million subscribers by the end of the season, and 2 million by 2029.
The budgets of clubs in Ligue 1 will no longer be fixed and will depend on the success of the channel. The shift to a DTC streaming model comes with challenges, as the league must now build and maintain a substantial subscriber base to offset lost traditional broadcast revenues. The success of Ligue 1+ will be critical for financial stability given the heavy past reliance on TV rights for revenue.
Ligue 1+ will be the sixth broadcaster of the French championship since 2020, and the first not to have paid TV rights. The league has attracted interest from institutional actors, including members of federations, leagues, and international confederations. Ligue 1+ relies on the clubs' support for its project, with a real willingness to work together. The channel aims to talk to people who love Ligue 1, bring novelty, and put expertise back into the treatment of Ligue 1, while remaining relaxed.
Despite being in crisis for five years, unable to find a solid broadcaster, the broadcast of Ligue 1 matches in France now has a new lease of life with Ligue 1+. Ligue 1+ has been assisted by the production company Mediawan in its production. The channel maintains the use of "vous" and requires proper attire.
In summary, Ligue 1’s heavy reliance on TV rights stems from their historic revenue dominance, but recent losses have prompted the league to launch Ligue 1+ as a self-operated streaming channel. This channel aims to secure more stable and direct revenue streams amid changing media consumption trends, impacting how the championship matches are broadcast and monetized.
Fans of football and sports-betting enthusiasts alike are eager to tune into the new era of French football with the launch of Ligue 1+'s direct-to-consumer streaming platform. Football fans can now access the Rennes-Marseille match on August 15, along with subsequent games and coverage, without relying on traditional broadcast agreements.
The success of Ligue 1+ in sports-betting markets remains to be seen, as the channel targets over a million subscribers by the end of the season. With financial stability heavily dependent on the subscriber base, Ligue 1+'s unique approach to broadcasting and revenue generation could potentially open new revenue streams for the league in sports-betting related partnerships and advertisements.
