Ligue 1 TV Rights Crisis: DAZN Mulls Exit, LFP Ponders New Strategy
Living on the edge of chaos, French professional football finds itself in a pickle just three weeks before the 2024-2025 Ligue 1 season concludes. A tangled web of disputes and legal battles surrounds the sport, but signs of a resolution are surfacing, however slight. The dust-up between the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) and broadcaster DAZN over TV rights for the league has led to some heated exchanges.
After months of stalemate, the LFP has aligned with the mediator's opinion, advocating for termination of the current contract that was set to run until 2029. This move was prompted by the inability to invoke the clause allowing departure at the end of the 2025-2026 season. To finalize the split, a mediator proposed that the British platform pay the LFP a compensatory fee of 120 million euros to seal the deal. This proposal was met withifiable rejection by DAZN, which has since taken legal action against the League at the Paris Commercial Court, demanding an eye-watering 573 million euros and accusing it of misrepresentation. The League, on the other hand, maintains that the contract continues, with more legal flavor ensuing.
The legal battle between the LFP and DAZN over Ligue 1’s domestic TV rights remains unresolved after failed mediation in April 2025. The confidential meeting between the two parties left a chasm of uncertainty, with each party accusing the other of various wrongdoings.
Legal Status
The LFP's board, consisting of Ligue 1 club presidents, voted to terminate DAZN's five-year contract early, a move that DAZN rejected. The original deal (2024–2029) grants DAZN rights to eight Ligue 1 matches per week for €400 million annually. The LFP insists DAZN must honor the full contract.
The mediator proposed that DAZN pay €140 million for the current season and €125 million in termination compensation, a proposal that DAZN declined. The League demands full compliance with the original €400 million/year agreement and rejects DAZN’s attempts to reduce obligations.
Financial Demands
DAZN sought to renegotiate terms, citing low subscriber uptake (500,000 vs. 1.5 million needed for profitability) and accused the LFP of inadequate anti-piracy measures and insufficient club cooperation in promoting broadcasts. It also alleged that the league misrepresented marketing conditions before signing the deal.
The LFP contends that DAZN’s financial struggles stem from its own operational failures, not the league’s actions. The league also filed legal action over the withheld payment, which DAZN ultimately settled.
The impasse leaves Ligue 1 facing financial instability, with DAZN's exit threatening a revenue shortfall unless a new broadcaster is secured. Both parties currently remain bound by the original contract. It's a messy business, but we can only hope for a fair resolution that benefits the beautiful game we all know and love.
The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) and DAZN, the broadcaster, are engaged in a financial dispute over the TV rights for Ligue 1. The LFP's board, seeking early termination of DAZN's five-year contract, proposed a compensatory fee of 140 million euros for the current season and 125 million euros in termination compensation. However, DAZN rejected this proposal and filed a lawsuit at the Paris Commercial Court, demanding a staggering 573 million euros and alleging misrepresentation by the League.
The original deal (2024–2029) grants DAZN rights to eight Ligue 1 matches per week for €400 million annually, but DAZN accused the LFP of inadequate anti-piracy measures and insufficient club cooperation in promoting broadcasts, leading to low subscriber uptake. The LFP, on the contrary, believes that DAZN's financial struggles stem from its own operational failures, not the league's actions.
The impasse in negotiations between the two parties has left Ligue 1 facing financial instability, with DAZN's exit threatening a potential revenue shortfall. As both parties remain bound by the original contract, it's a messy business that leaves the future of Ligue 1 football in Europe uncertain, but we can only hope for a fair resolution that benefits the beautiful game.
