LFP finalize deal with CCTV for Ligue 1 broadcast rights in China

Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-09 21:24:56|Editor: Shi Yinglun

PARIS, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The French Professional Football League (LFP), along with beIN SPORTS who are in charge of the distribution of the LFP broadcast rights internationally, have announced a major new deal for the broadcast rights of Ligue 1 in China.

Thanks to a four-season deal from 2017-2018 until 2020-2021, Ligue 1 will be broadcast on CCTV (China Central Television) Sports Channel, and then be accessible to more than 1 billion people in China.

From 2018-2019, two matches per round will be broadcast live on CCTV group of sports channels and services: CCTV5, CCTV5+, Feng Yun HD, the CCTV5 app and CNTV. The magazine show Ligue 1 Show and Ligue 1 Highlights will also be aired in full.

Ligue 1 highlights will be part of CCTV's most popular football shows Total Soccer and Champion's Euro. It is already agreed that CCTV will start broadcasting the best Ligue 1 games from the end of 2017-2018 season.

In addition, the 2018 edition of Trophee des Champions (the French Super Cup), which will be held in Shenzhen on August 4, will be aired live on CCTV5.

"Thanks to this agreement, Ligue 1 will benefit from maximum exposure in China. One year after the opening of our Chinese office, this is a major step forward and highlights the increasing attractiveness of Ligue 1 abroad," said LFP Chief Executive Didier Quillot.

"With the 2018 FIFA World Cup approaching, coverage of Ligue 1 on CCTV Sports takes on a special significance. The recent measures taken by LFP have made the league more competitive and more entertaining to watch," commented Fang Gang, head of CCTV Sports.

"It is our wish to carry out sincere and friendly cooperation with major professional sport leagues, and bring more high-end football matches to a wide Chinese audience," he added.

Yousef Al-Obaidly, Deputy CEO of beIN Media Group, said, "As a partner of the LFP since our creation, we are delighted by this new deal in China that will allow viewers to [view] Ligue 1, which now includes some of the biggest stars in world football."

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