Basic-tier broadcaster Ma Chaîne Sport has agreed a five-year deal for exclusive rights to events staged by the French Basketball League (LNB) and French Basketball Federation (FFBB).
Under the deal, which is set to run from 2015-16 to 2019-20, MCS becomes the official broadcaster of French basketball and will cover all national competitions.
This will include two games per week from the top-tier Pro A league, accompanied by a weekly 52-minute highlights programme.
MCS will also cover the Pro B, Ligue Féminine de Basket, Coupe de France, All Star Game and the Disneyland Paris Leaders Cup LNB. MCS will broadcast the French national team’s friendly games following the 2015 EuroBasket tournament, which takes place from September 5-20.
The agreement comes just days after the LNB terminated its contract with Canal Plus after the pay-television broadcaster closed its Sport Plus channel.
Under the terms of its deal with the LNB, which was due to run until 2017, Canal Plus provided coverage of the Pro A through the Sport Plus and Canal Plus Sport channels.
The decision had left the Pro A without a broadcast partner two months before the start of its 2015-16 season.
The respective parties said further details behind the new deal will be revealed at a press conference on September 3.