Broadcaster MediaPro Group has outbid Vivendi SA unit Societe d'Edition de Canal Plus SA 's Canal+ for the 2020-2024 audiovisual rights for Ligue 1, the premier French soccer league, Advanced Television reported, citing a statement from the Ligue de Football Professionnel.
The Spanish broadcaster, majority-owned by Chinese private equity firm Orient Hontai Capital, bagged a majority of the broadcast packages offered by the French professional football league, winning three of the seven lots available for bidding, including the championship's top 10 matches. BeIN Media Group's beIN Sports obtained one of the lots.
Canal+, which has been a partner of the league since 1984, will continue until 2020.
The broadcasting rights raised a total amount of €1.15 billion per season, which increased by 60% — 59.7% before the allocation of lots 5 and 7 — compared to 2016-2020, and a total amount of €4.61 billion for 2020-2024.
Mediapro recently lost the TV rights to Italian soccer league Serie A, after the league decided to cancel the contract it awarded to the company for €1.05 billion.
