The Elysée don't want to interfere in Mediapro scandal
French football is in turmoil following the refusal of Mediapro, the main broadcaster of League 1 and League 2 this season and until 2024, to pay its second instalment (around € 172m) which was due on 5 October.
Worse, the Sino-Spanish media group has indicated through its chairman, Jaume Roures, that it intends to renegotiate the initial contract downwards due to the impact of COVID-19.
This is a disaster for the French professional clubs and for the LFP, which chose this new partner two years ago without having first negotiated real financial guarantees.
Although the League has decided to counter-attack, the L1 and L2 clubs are worried about their future. According to Le Canard Enchaîné, they were even hoping for an intervention by the State and Emmanuel Macron to unravel this thorny issue.
But according to a source from the Élysée Palace contacted by Le Monde, this will undoubtedly have to be done without intervention from the highest level of government.
“We are not going to intervene with Mediapro to help them pay their debts or guarantee the risks they have taken in the context of a call for tenders. We are not going to intervene on TV rights.»