Apple would be interested in broadcasting Ligue 1 over the next few years on Apple TV+.
In 2021, after the resounding failure of Mediapro, which bought the rights to Ligue 1 for a record amount only to then be unable to pay for them, the football championship was saved by an unprecedented player: Amazon. GAFAM has in fact been the main broadcaster of Ligue 1 until 2024. And at that date, it could be replaced by another American tech giant.
Apple comes to the news
The rights to Ligue 1 will be auctioned again, for new contracts to be established from 2024. And a new name has just appeared on the scene: Apple. Indeed, according to information from RMC Sportthe Cupertino firm would have expressed its interest to the Professional Football League (LFP).
The two parties have already exchanged several times in recent days through conference calls. Long little interested in French football, the group could thus become one of the competitors for the acquisition of the rights to the first division championship.
The savior of Ligue 1
And this arrival in the race for the owner of Apple TV+, if it became more serious, could be a blessing for the LFP. Because it had already tried to put the rights to Ligue 1 up for sale for the period 2024-2029, before announcing in mid-October that it had been unable to obtain any satisfactory offer for the 5 lots offered.
The LFP then hoped to obtain, for each season, 530 million euros for its so-called premium lot (representing the two best posters and the fourth best match co-broadcast with another actor) and 270 million euros for the 6 other matches. Currently, Canal+ and Amazon share the rights to Ligue 1 for 663 million euros per season, including 250 million euros paid by Amazon.
Source : RMC Sport
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