Justice will decide on March 31 whether Canal+ is entitled to stop paying beIN Sports and broadcast Ligue 1, said the Versailles Court of Appeal after a hearing on Wednesday on the dispute between the two diffusers.
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For nearly two hours on Wednesday afternoon, the Vivendi group's channel tried to convince the Versailles Court of Appeal that it was entitled to terminate the sub-licence agreement that binds it with beIN Sports, the initial holder of the famous "
lot N.3
" comprising two matches per day of L1 until 2024 for 332 million euros per year.
This sub-license contract signed in 2020 implies that Canal is responsible for the payment - 332 million euros annually - and the broadcasting of these two matches, beIN Sports taking on the role of intermediary with the Professional Football League (LFP ).
BeIN could be forced to pay
In the first instance, on August 5, the Commercial Court of Nanterre had ordered Canal+ to provisionally execute the sub-license contract – and therefore to broadcast and pay for the meetings.
“
Canal+ pays 332 million euros for two matches per day when Amazon pays 250 million for eight matches per day, including the ten best posters.
The consequences for Canal+ are immeasurable, it is unable to value its rights
, ”lawyers for the encrypted channel lamented on Wednesday, claiming that beIN had “
sabotaged
” and “
hijacked
” this sub-license contract.
Read also L1 TV rights: LFP, Canal +, beIN ... The judicial waltz resumes
The advice of beIN Sports retorted that the Qatari channel had not failed in any obligation: “
Yes, the matches are broadcast by the one who must broadcast them: Canal.
Yes, royalties are paid by whoever has to pay them: Canal.
“If the Court of Appeal were to reverse the order of first instance, it is indeed beIN Sports which would be summoned to broadcast the meetings and to bear the cost, an unexpected turnaround in the middle of the sports season.
This hearing opened a turbulent legal semester on the conflict over French football TV rights, as several parallel proceedings are open.
In most of them, beIN Sports and Canal+ act hand in hand against the LFP, judging this lot N.3 overvalued.
Until now, the LFP has always been confirmed in its position by justice.