Trouble in the French League as the broadcasting deal with Mediapro has collapsed which has pushed Ligue 1 into a financial crisis
The early cancellation of the 2019-20 Ligue 1 season which was badly affected by the pandemic coupled recent collapse of a broadcasting deal with Barcelona-based multimedia group Mediapro worth €3.25bn has severely pushed many French top-flight clubs into financial ruin.
French season ended early and did not resume after the effects of the pandemic were contained by the French government. Paris-Saint Germain were crowned the champions of French football as they topped the standings by 12 points with a game in hand at the time the league was stopped.
Ligue 1 2021-22: What the financial crisis means for the French clubs
The fallout of the broadcasting deal with Mediapro means that French League has not received the payment from the Broadcasting company which means that many French clubs find themselves in a worrisome financial situation after a significant drop in revenue.
Clubs were not able to sell the tickets because of the pandemic which saw matches being played behind closed doors as Covid restrictions were placed. As the new season began in the post-Covid era, clubs saw a significant drop in terms of revenue generation and now find themselves in financial trouble.
What it means for the Premier League
Premier League clubs will now go on a shopping spree as many French clubs are in difficult financial situations which will force them into selling some of their crucial players for a cheap transfer fee in order to generate much-needed revenue for the club.
Big clubs from Premier League will definitely consider going on a shopping spree in the French league as many clubs will be looking to let go of players in order to free some of the cash. Apart from PSG who have a lot of resources in abundance, no other club will bring high-profile players.
PSG have already acquired the services of Sergio Ramos, Achraf Hakimi, Wijnaldum, and Donnarumma offering tempting deals that have seen new arrivals at the PSG camp. PSG will never face any financial trouble because of its rich owners.
Mediapro stated that it has been forced to stop payments due to the adverse financial effects of the ongoing pandemic. Ligues 1 and 2 will now have to find a new broadcast partner with a lucrative deal that will earn some profit for the other small Ligue 1 clubs.