Why will certain Champions League matches not be broadcast in France?

Six Champions League group matches will not be broadcast by any television channel in France this year. Explanations.

The beIN Sports TV channel will not be able to broadcast all the Champions League matches this season: six group matches will not be broadcast in France this year, including two from Manchester City and two from RB Leipzig . However, the Qatari channel has acquired the rights to all the matches in the competition, with the exception of the two posters broadcast by Canal+ and RMC Sport. These are in fact the six matches of the group stage of Young Boys Berne which will not be played. broadcast in France: two against the Citizens, two against the Citizens, Leipzig and two facing each other; Red Star Belgrade. In question, a controversial sponsor: “Plus 500”, an actor in the field of trading, is the jersey sponsor of the Swiss club. "The DGCCRF (Directorate General for Competition, Consumption and Fraud Repression) considers that this is an advertising that is not intended to be illegal. illicit, prohibited, for a financial product risk", explains to Ouest France the general secretary of beIN Media Group, Caroline Guenneteau.

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Atalanta and Atlético Madrid concerned

This is not the first time that beIN Sports finds itself in a delicate situation. At the start of 2023, the channel had already been launched. Summer deprived of the broadcast of Atalanta matches in Serie A, because the Bergamasques had the same sponsor. The problem is resolved. since the Italian club has changed as a partner this summer. To understand the origin of this sanction, we must go back to the origins of this sanction. the Europa League final between Olympique de Marseille and Atlético de Madrid in 2018. At the time, the Madrid club wore the colors of the trading company in question. The M6 ​​group and beIN Sports, co-broadcasters of the meeting, had been targeted by a complaint which led to à an injunction. The beIn Sports channel has since appealed, deeming the sanction unfair. 'It's a championship that takes place at home. abroad, over which we have no control. The sanction is a little harsh, says Caroline Guenneteau.

An illogical sanction?

This ban only concerns the M6 ​​and beIn Sports groups, since they are the only ones targeted by the complaint and then the injunction. This means that if the rights to the Young Boys Berne matches had been canceled acquired by another channel, it would have had the right to broadcast the match. This could have been the case if the Swiss had fallen into the PSG group for example, Canal + and RMC Sport broadcasting these matches because they have the first two choices of matches for each day. Caroline Guenneteau explains: "Çit should affect all broadcasters. Otherwise, we could provide an exception for the championships which take place outside the city. abroad. We will try to work together. In the meantime, French television viewers will be deprived of two matches of the outgoing Champions League winners.