** TV rights in Ligue 1: Towards a reassessment of sports values? **
When we talk about Ligue 1, it is impossible not to think of the crucial issues around the diffusion rights which, for several seasons, turn into a real headache for clubs, broadcasters and French football enthusiasts. While this season is approaching its conclusion, Dazn’s threat to withdraw from the audiovisual landscape of our championship relaunches the debate on TV rights, but also on the way we consume football. Beyond the simple monetary values at stake, it is essential to explore what it really means for the future of sport in France.
### Context and historical
To understand this dynamic, we must first analyze the history of TV rights in France. Over the years, the amounts at stake have exploded. In 2020, the National Council for the Evaluation of Standards (CNEN) revealed that Ligue 1 noted an increase in its TV rights, reaching almost 1.3 billion euros per year. However, the privatization of the dissemination has also led to a fragmentation of the audience and to a polarization of the market, where the large clubs capture a disproportionate part of the recipes. This model, although lucrative for some, feeds disturbing disparities within the competition.
### Dazn: Disturbing competition
Dazn, a streaming platform that quickly increased on the sports market, represents both an opportunity for evolution for French football and a threat to its traditional model. Its potential announcement of transfusion cessation should encourage us to think about the very nature of this competition. For years, fans have been locked in a setting where sport was mainly accessible via cable and satellite chains, options often out of reach for certain subscribers. Dazn, on the other hand, has bet on simplified and cheaper access, trying to delight a younger and connected audience.
### a necessary reflection on accessibility
Beyond the financial issues, the question of the accessibility of sport and football in particular must be central. While large sports companies have propelled the dissemination to dizzying income levels, consumers have been faced with a real puzzle of choice between different subscriptions. In this sense, the potential exit from Dazn could oblige regulatory organizations to reconsider the way in which the diffusion rights are allocated, in order to guarantee greater equity and a more balanced distribution of financial resources.
### The English model reflecting
By comparing the French situation to that of the English Premier League, there is a model which, despite its faults, has been able to set up a redistribution of TV rights which benefits the whole competition. In England, the income from the diffusion rights are more equitably distributed, thus allowing the Tableau teams to benefit from a solid financial basis and to improve their performance. This approach, although sometimes criticized, not only enhanced the overall level of competition, but also created a more resilient ecosystem.
### Opportunities to explore
Dazn’s threat could be the trigger for a broader reflection on the future of football in France. New models of partnership, business or even technological integration could transform the landscape. If the TV rights crisis does not lead to an integral overhaul of rights management, it could open the way to more inclusive football, where access to sport is not only based on financial agreements.
### Conclusion
As the season is coming to an end, Ligue 1 is at a decisive crossroads. The threat of Dazn is not just a simple warning stroke for the diffusers; It directly challenges the way we envisage the future of our football, its values and above all its accessibility. Considering these complex interactions, it is imperative that decision -makers ensure that French football is not only perceived as a lucrative goods, but as a cultural good to protect and promote for future generations. The ball is now in the stakeholder camps to transform this crisis into an opportunity for rebirth.