Ligue 1 faces 400 million dollars hole

French football’s news television deal was supposed to save the league and its clubs from a financial meltdown, but instead it created a bad situation worse. France’s top football league, Ligue 1 announced this month that it had enticed Amazon to become its lead broadcaster as Canal Plus, their longtime television partner, reacted with fury. The Canal Plus refused to pay and broadcast the two games per week. The company stated, “Canal Plus will not, therefore, be broadcasting Ligue 1.”

On the other hand, Amazon has agreed to broadcast eight games a week for little more than 300 million dollars per season. Whereas Canal Plus was going to pay 400 million dollars for the two games a week it had picked up in a previous rights auction. As Canal Plus refused to pay, many clubs have stepped into the summer player-trading market worried less about sales and signings than about the possibility of bankruptcy. Canal Plus was a league partner since 1984 and would be resolved but Amazon was picked over a joint offer from Canal Plus and its Qatari partner as per beIN sports.

A league board member involved in the decision said Ligue 1 was confident Canal Plus would have to honour its contract, and that under French law, action could be taken within 15 days if the money is not paid. But it may be too late for French clubs to decide on budgets, players and plans for next season.