Football news: France shambles as nobody wants to buy Ligue 1 broadcasting rights
Football news: Ligue 1 are struggling to win round broadcasters at the current price
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Nobody wants to buy the broadcasting rights to show Ligue 1 football over in France.
The French football TV rights bidding process has developed into a farce after a bombshell report from newspaper L'Equipe.
They say that no broadcaster has come forward with an offer to show Ligue 1 matches during the 2024-2029 cycle.
The LFP (Ligue de Football Professionel) must now proactively negotiate with interested parties, even though there doesn't appear to be any right now.
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The LFP launched its bidding process on Tuesday.
According to Get Football News France, five bundles were on offer - including two that allowed broadcasters to show the matches live.
With the current price deemed too high, however, nobody opted to take the top flight up on their offer.
One bundle was reportedly worth a staggering €530m (£461m), which would enable broadcasters to show the two biggest matches of the gameweek.
They would, per the arrangement, also be allowed to show the fourth-choice match - which would also be co-broadcast.
The other bundle was said to be worth €270m (£235m)
This would have been essentially for the scraps the other broadcaster didn't choose.
But the LFP are now in crisis and will now have to reach out themselves in order to secure a deal.
Channels like Canal+, who opted against submitting an offer, will be approached as well.
The LFP said in a statement: "After having received multiple qualitative offers and guaranteed financial packages on all of the bundles (1-5), LFP Media reveals that none of the bundles have been attributed today (Tuesday).
"As a result, LFP Media is continuing its commercialisation process of the rights to Ligue 1 and postpones the call for candidates for Ligue 2.”
One possible reason for the lack of offers could be down to French football losing two superstars this year.
Paris Saint-Germain had hoped to tie down Lionel Messi to a new contract, having signed the 36-year-old on a free transfer from Barcelona two years previously.
But the Argentina international, fed up with the criticism he received during his time in the Parc des Princes, opted to walk away and join Inter Miami instead.
Messi has since dazzled during his brief time playing in America.
Yet he was unable to fire Miami into the MLS playoffs, meaning his season will end with a match against Charlotte on Saturday.
PSG also opted to get rid of Neymar, too.
Big things were expected of the Brazil international when he joined from Barcelona back in 2017.
However, while Neymar established himself as a PSG great, he was unable to fire the team to the Champions League trophy they crave most.
Neymar was linked with European sides such as Chelsea and Manchester City when news broke that he'd be on the move.
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Football news: France and Ligue 1 have been hampered by the recent departures of Neymar and Lionel Messi
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Even Barcelona were linked with a spectacular return for their former No 11.
In the end, though, Neymar opted to take the huge money available at Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal.