Five enter running for LFP rights

Five media companies have submitted proposals to acquire packages of domestic rights in the tender launched by Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), the French football league, for the country’s top-tier Ligue 1 and second-tier Ligue 2, according to French newspaper l’Equipe.

The newspaper’s pay-television sister channel, l’Equipe TV, as well as pay-television broadcasters Canal Plus and beIN Sports, telecommunications company Orange and the Eurosport France division of pan-European broadcaster Eurosport submitted proposals to the LFP by Wednesday lunchtime.

Financial bids have been submitted for the leading package of rights for live coverage of the top two games every match day. Expressions of interest have been received for the other five packages, with financial bids for those packages due to be submitted on Friday.

Law firm Clifford Chance is receiving the bids on the LFP’s behalf.

The rights will run for four years, from 2016-17 to 2019-20.