Television channels have been coming up against the financial demands of the European football body for several months, but an agreement has been reached with Fifa for the broadcasting of the Women’s World Cup which begins on August 23.
“We weren’t twisted our arm”, Laurent-Eric Le Lay, Sports Director of France Télévisions, assured Thursday June 15 on franceinfo, while an agreement was reached with Fifa for the broadcast of the Women’s World Cup which begins on August 23. The Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, had undertaken to find a solution quickly.
For several months, television channels have been coming up against the financial demands of the European football body: “It took a long time, because we had to find the arguments to bring the position of Fifa closer to that of the French and European broadcasters with whom there was a great conflict”he explained.
Europe-wide negotiations
The press evokes an agreement around 10 million euros: “It’s less than that, even if I will not give the figure for reasons of confidentiality”, he declared. “Fifa wanted a lot more money than the broadcasters could put on the table”, he said. The negotiations were able to take place on a European scale via the EBU, the European Broadcasting Union which brings together the public channels. “I think we had a much greater power of conviction vis-à-vis FIFA, because we solved the problem with an agreement in five major European football countries., he explains. The countries concerned by this agreement are Germany, England, Spain, Italy and France.
France Télévisions did not wish to meet the financial requirements of Fifa for several reasons. First, the competition is “At the other end of the world, in New Zealand and Australia, with matches taking place in the morning (French time) and not in prime time. In the morning, we traditionally have a lot less audience”he argued.
The partnership with M6 has reduced the bill
In addition, the World Cup will start at the end of August, “a completely new period” Or “TV consumption is low”“SO “the ability to generate advertising revenue is much weaker”, he explained. The partnership with the private channel M6 makes it possible to reduce the bill: “We had to find a budgetary solution for France Télévisions, that’s also why we partnered with M6 to split the bill”he explains.
Laurent-Eric Le Lay assures that this partnership is a long-term one in order to write the history of women’s football in France: “We are committed for the next four seasons also with M6, to broadcast the matches of the French women’s football team. This willingness of France Télévisions is very important because we want to broadcast these matches in prime time on France 2 or on France 3“, he indicated.