June 2 – French professional football will return in August with a large bulk of matches broadcast on a dedicated football channel – Telefoot – as Mediapro Group makes its debut in France in a joint venture with TF1 Group.
The channel will air live and exclusive coverage of Ligue 1 as well as eight matches per match day from Ligue 2.
A Mediapro press release said the channel will broadcast “more than 80% of matches, including the ten best matches and the Sunday evening game, a comprehensive and unique weekday and weekend offering including the major Sunday evening magazine and the insights of the greatest experts.”
The Mediapro/TF1 deal is based on a four-year renewable partnership that includes a brand license for the use of the name of TF1’s long-running Téléfoot show that will air 11am on Sundays.
The partnership will also collaborate across editorial and production, as well as sharing talent.
Gilles Pélisson, Chairman and CEO of Groupe TF1 and François Pellissier, Director of Sports, said in a joint statement : “The creation of a channel entirely dedicated to football is a further illustration of TF1 Group’s commitment alongside French football players to promote the values of one of the most popular sports, which is dear to the TF1 Group. This partnership is an opportunity to showcase one of our finest brands, which has been bringing audiences together for over forty years. We are also pleased to be taking part in this adventure with our best, most cutting-edge and most popular experts, including our commentator duo Grégoire Margotton and Bixente Lizarazu. This partnership is a testament to our expertise in creating high value-added sports content.”
For Mediapro it is the delivery of another football-dedicated, 7-days-a-week channel to add to a number of others around the world.
Jaume Roures, Chairman and Founder of the MEDIAPRO Group and Julien Bergeaud, CEO of Mediapro Sport France said in a joint statement: “This partnership with TF1, France’s leading audiovisual channel, is the natural alliance of two groups recognized in football. Thanks to our editorial know-how and technological expertise at the cutting edge of innovation, we will offer fans a new look at football. TELEFOOT, our channel dedicated to French football, will be the must-see destination to follow everything about French Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 and to know everything about French football.”
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