A new court decision in the soap opera of the television rights of Ligue 1. The civil court of Paris ruled this Wednesday, August 4 to the Professional Football League (LFP) in the dispute between it and beIN Sports.
The president recalled the terms of their contract signed in 2018 for the payment and distribution of two of the ten Ligue 1 posters per day from lot 3.
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Last week, the League summoned its contractual partner, beIN Sports, to make a formal commitment to pay for the matches, as well as to produce and broadcast them if Canal + does not do so. A first hearing was held last Friday in the civil court of Paris between beIN Sports and the League, during which the Qatari channel had designated Canal + as co-defendant in this case. "
This Wednesday, the president explained that he did not have the legal competence to accept that Canal join this dispute
", explains a person close to the file.
To avoid having to settle the bill alone if Canal + fails it, the Qatari channel has placed itself under the protection of the Nanterre commercial court as part of a conciliation procedure.
Judicial administrator Hélène Bourbouloux, well known in the French restructuring community, was appointed as conciliator.
Everything will be played this Thursday August 5
The decision of the Paris civil court on Thursday does not settle the merits of the case. Because faced with the conciliation procedure which financially protects beIN Sports in the short term, the League has finally decided to change tactics by supporting the Qatari channel in an attempt to enforce its sub-license agreement with Canal +. Everything will then be decided during the hearing between beIN Sports and Canal + this Thursday, August 5 at the Commercial Court of Nanterre. The president will decide which of the two channels will have to pay the rights and broadcast the matches this weekend.
A large number of scenarios are still on the table. Canal + can lose and decide to honor its commitments. The encrypted channel may also fail to honor its sublicense contract and decide to appeal the decision, and then the LFP would claim penalties of 1.5 million euros per day of delay. To avoid a black screen situation, conciliator Hélène Bourbouloux could then ask beIN Sports to broadcast the matches this weekend.
Finally, justice can agree with Canal, and then beIN Sports would find itself obliged to broadcast the matches. It is only if Canal + wins tomorrow, that the decision of the Paris civil court on Wednesday will have all its importance. In this case, the Qatari channel would then be forced to broadcast the two championship matches on August 7 and 8 (Troyes-PSG on Saturday at 9 p.m. and Metz-Lille on Sunday at 5 p.m.).
"And if beIN Sports does not honor its contract, the president of the civil court of Paris has authorized the LFP to claim penalties of 1 million euros per day of delay"
, explains a person close to the file.
In short, if the questions surrounding the broadcast of matches should be resolved this Thursday, August 5, the financial question could remain in abeyance. Even though beIN Sports is supposed to pay the LFP the same day a first amount of 56 million euros.