Spain's MediaPro Wins Major Bid To Broadcast French Soccer

Spain’s Mediapro beat out its closest auction competition, Canal Plus, to gain important soccer broadcasting rights for France’s Ligue 1 games.

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Canal Plus, a French-based firm seems to be losing ground in its home country where it has historically broadcast the nation's major soccer matches since it first came on the air in 1984.

The price of sports broadcasting rights globally is growing exponentially and it’s not over. Annual broadcasting rights for Ligue 1 are expected to hit a record high of more than US$1.33 billion between 2020 and 2024 alone, the head of the nation’s professional soccer association, Didier Quillot, told the press. This is a nearly 60 percent increase over the previous five-year period.

Mediapro, which is owned by a Chinese-majority group, won three out of seven auction slots, including the championship’s top 10 matches.

Qatar-controlled beIN Sports won one smaller lot. French telecom operator Iliad also won a slot - the first time in its history.

Two slots were still unsold as of Tuesday.

"We’re well aware that what happened today will represent a turning point," Quillot told reporters.

"(Canal Plus) bid for each of the seven lots, and for each of these lots, it was outbid by someone who had a better offer."

Mediapro said it may sublicense broadcasting rights after 2020, giving itself the option to make deals with telecom and satellite operators.

Canal Plus said in a statement it would consider this an option. Its chief executive said it would also consider taking legal action to challenge the results of today’s bidding.