NFL lands free-to-air exposure in France in late L’Équipe deal

L’Équipe, the Amaury Group-owned free-to-air digital terrestrial channel in France, has acquired rights to show a weekly match from American football’s National Football League.

The broadcaster has reached an agreement ahead of the start of the 2020 NFL season this weekend.

L’Équipe will air a regular-season match every Sunday on its linear channel and via its digital channels. The broadcaster has also secured rights to the play-offs and the Super Bowl.

The channel will air its coverage from 7pm (CET) on Sundays and has picked up rights to 17 regular-season matches in total. Highlights from other matches will be shown on L’Équipe’s digital platforms.

The deal ends the exclusivity over the rights held in France by pay-television broadcaster beIN Sports.

The clash between the Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks on Sunday will kick off L’Équipe’s NFL output, followed by the match-up between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers on September 20.