You will have to get up to speed. In 2024, the Champions League (C1) is about to experience a drastic change in formula. Thus, 36 teams will now be qualified, against 32 currently. Above all, instead of the eight groups, a single pool will determine the posters for the round of 16. Almost everywhere, television channels expect a lot from this somewhat eccentric format.
In France, offers for broadcast lots are submitted from Wednesday June 29 to UEFA, which will then deliver its verdict. The Europa League (C3) and the Europa League conference (C4), whose format is also changing. Here are the three main questions that arise about the new distribution of television rights for the period 2024-2027.
What is the current distribution in France?
Several batches are currently shared between broadcast groups, for the period 2021-2024. For the Champions League, Canal+ holds the A1 and A2 lots, which gives it the retransmission of the best posters each day. Under an agreement, the encrypted channel co-broadcasts matches with RMC Sport. For its part, beIN Sports has the rights to other C1 matches (lot B), when TF1 (lot C) only broadcasts the C1 in clear, a legal obligation.
The Europa League is mainly broadcast on RMC Sport, even if the M6 and Canal+ groups broadcast one match per day. The same goes for the Europa League conference, little sister of the C3 which has just experienced its first edition.
What prizes are in play?
Inevitably, the change of formula of the C1 generates the creation of new batches. The one called “A1” concerns the broadcast of the best poster on Tuesday, for a total of 17 matches selected by the winner of the lot. Lot A2 allows him to choose a match on Wednesday and to benefit, new fact, from the Thursdays concerned by the C1, with 24 matches in all, again chosen by the one who caught the bouquet.
Lot B concerns all of the other 166 matches. This prerogative, which could be considered second class, will experience renewed interest in France. The C1 “new look” will indeed host up to four tricolor clubs, against three (with the presence of the third conditioned to the perilous dams) today. Finally, lot C will always go to a free channel, to co-broadcast the final.
For the Europa League and the Europa League conference, the allocation follows a similar operation. The first prize put into play concerns the best poster of each day, as well as the final of the two competitions. For a total of 20 matches, the holding channel will have the choice between Europa League and Europa League conference each day. The second batch concerns the remaining 323 matches, finals excluded.
Can new channels position themselves in France?
Five groups are currently sharing the cake in France. Will the fragmentation of supply be even greater? Obviously, silence is golden before presenting files. But speculation is rife. Arrived with a bang on the Ligue 1 market, Amazon Prime could position itself.
Other groups not yet present in the landscape of sports broadcasting in France are mentioned, such as Apple TV, which recently granted itself the world rights to the North American football championship (MLS). For their part, DAZN (broadcaster of the women’s C1) and Discovery, owner of Eurosport, presented an offer for the rights to Ligue 1 in 2021, without success.
Be that as it may, the sums spent to acquire the lots should soar and amount to hundreds of millions of euros. These upward forecasts follow the simple logic of the new formula. With 144 pool matches against 96 currently, UEFA intends to increase the number of matches to increase its revenue.