Mediapro to launch French football channel ahead of 2020-21 Ligue 1 season
Mediapro will launch a pay-TV channel in France in August after signing a four-year, renewable partnership with the TF1 Group.
The new Téléfoot service will show eight live Ligue 1 fixtures and eight live Ligue 2 fixtures per match week, once the season starts.
The move follows Mediapro’s €780m per-season purchase of eight Ligue 1 TV rights packages that cover the seasons 2020-21 to 2023-24. Rights to Ligue 2 have also been secured over the same period, along with Uefa Europa League and Europa Conference League rights from 2021-22 to 2023-24.
The deals were secured in May 2018 and December 2019.
Telefoot is the historic brand name for a TF1 magazine show that was first created in 1977.
In a joint statement, Jaume Roures, the chairman and founder of the Mediapro Group, and Julien Bergeaud, the chief executive of Mediapro Sport France, said: “We are very pleased to announce the creation of Telefoot, the new Home of French football, 100% dedicated to football, broadcasted seven days a week.
“This partnership with TF1, France’s leading audiovisual channel, is the natural alliance of two groups recognized in football. Thanks to our editorial know-how and technological expertise at the cutting edge of innovation, we will offer fans a new look at football.
“Telefoot, our channel dedicated to French football, will be the must-see destination to follow everything about French Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 and to know everything about French football.”
The deal also includes the production of a French Ligue 1 magazine broadcast on Sunday morning from 12 to 1 pm on the TELEFOOT channel, including highlights of earlier matches, as well as French football archive shows under the name “Téléfoot Vintage”.
Gilles Pélisson, the chief executive of Groupe TF1 and François Pellissier, director of Sports, added: “The creation of a channel entirely dedicated to football is a further illustration of TF1 Group’s commitment alongside French football players to promote the values of one of the most popular sports, which is dear to the TF1 Group.
“This partnership is an opportunity to showcase one of our finest brands, which has been bringing audiences together for over forty years.”
The commentary duo Grégoire Margotton and Bixente Lizarazu will be involved in the new channel.