An acronym "DAZN" (pronounced Da Zone) which questions, an Anglo-American billionaire of Ukrainian origin at its head and a global expansion underway despite colossal debts… The site's irruption into the French sports television rights market questions all the more so as the Mediapro episode, unknown on the French market a few seasons ago and ultimately unable to honor its contract, is still remembered.
If Amazon's candidacy was expected and Discovery via Eurosport has long broadcast the Ligue 2 championship, the DAZN streaming platform appears as the novelty of the call for tenders for French football TV rights.
A new player like Amazon who came from the digital world and no longer from TV.
If he invites himself into the battle, he could eventually upset the way we look at sport.
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"It's the Netflix of Sport", summarizes Arnaud Simon, President and Founder of IN & OUT STORIES and former CEO of Eurosport.
Because unlike Netflix, Disney + or Amazon Prime, DAZN, created in England in 2016 via the Perform company (production of sports content) by Len Blavatnik, a shareholder of Warner Music or Deezer, only broadcasts sports.
Bundesliga and Champions League broadcaster
In France, the platform has only been accessible since December 1 for a price, for the moment low (1.99 euros per month) with a limited offer (mainly boxing).
But it is already well established in several countries such as the United States, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan.
Across the Rhine, it broadcasts from the Bundesliga (rights until 2025), the Champions League, and in Italy, two Serie A matches per week.
“They bought from the Bundesliga, from Serie A where they are positioned on the new tender, from the Japanese Football League, from MotoGP in Spain, explains Arnaud Simon.
They have also invested more than 1 billion dollars in the United States in the boxing offer.
“With the result a very diverse offer, even if it means giving the impression of a strategy that is not always clear.
“They are capable of doing a bit of everything,” continues Arnaud Simon.
In the United States for example, DAZN offers a range of combat sports but that does not prevent it from setting up partnerships on pay per view (
Editor's note: payment per session
) for certain major fights.
They are also very much in a logic of exchange.
For example, you buy a fight for 70 dollars on Comcast, you have a 4 month free offer at DAZN.
They are also going to publish a Formula 1 channel in Spain, they are distributing Eurosport channels in German-speaking countries, in Germany, in Italy… ”
"They went into this call for tenders to test the waters"
DAZN is therefore not just a simple streaming platform.
In its development, it does not deny the use of the old model as in Germany where it applied for a license to create two television channels.
Its strategy of joining forces with other distributors to promote its own content or thematic channels is working in other countries.
Ultimately, DAZN hopes to continue its presence around the world, increasing from 10 to 200 countries.
“On French football, lot 2 (7 matches per day) may interest them because they are capable of creating a soap opera,” continues Arnaud Simon.
These global media can be opportunistic, but they don't like to be in a hurry or the legal contexts not very clear.
I think they went to this call for tenders just to see, to test the waters a bit without diving completely… In addition, they also had cash concerns with the Covid.
"
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Despite its devouring ambitions, DAZN indeed remains "a fragile society" according to several specialists in the sector.
The confinement and the cessation of competitions have weakened its economic model.
The Daily Telegraph evoked more than a billion losses (1.6 billion euros exactly) in 2019. But its wealthy owner has always plugged the holes.