France

Anti-doping laws stepped up for Tour de France - 1 May 08

The French government has moved to toughen anti-doping legislation ahead of the Tour de France.

PSG share sale approved by EC - 22 Apr 08

The European Commission has approved US-based private equity group Colony Capital’s proposed acquisition of a stake of around 30 per cent in Colfilm, the holding company of French football club Paris Saint-Germain.

French handball receives four bids - 7 Apr 08

The French handball league, Ligue Nationale de Handball, said it had received four bids for its TV rights from 2008 to 2011.

HBS wins tender for host broadcast of Ligue 1 - 31 Mar 08

Host Broadcast Services will handle the host broadcast operation for French football's Ligue 1 under a four season deal with the Ligue de Football Professionnel, that runs until 2011.

Fifa beach football qualifiers get under way - 20 Mar 08

Marseilles will host the finals of the Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup from 17 to 27 July, the first time the tournament has been held outside Brazil.

Court of Arbitration set to rule on Paris-Nice race - 7 Mar 08

The Court of Arbitration for Sport will rule today on whether teams and cyclists could be sanctioned for participating in the Paris-Nice race, which starts on Sunday.

2009 French GP venue under scrutiny - 7 Mar 08

The chairman of the French Racing Federation, Nicolas Deschaux, said that no decision had been made on the venue of the French Formula One race in 2009, following this season's edition at Magny Cours.

Europsort to broadcast Le Mans series - 5 Mar 08

Eurosport Group has signed a deal to screen the 'Le Mans 24 Hours' races in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Nike beats Adidas to French Football deal - 25 Feb 08

Nike agreed a seven-and-a half-season contract, worth €320 million deal to sponsor the French national football team from 2011.

Ligue 1 invites international TV bids - 22 Feb 08

The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) invited marketing agencies to bid for the international rights for Ligue 1 over the next four seasons, from 2008-09 to 2011-12.

Football Money League: Manchester United rise but Real Madrid stay top - 14 Feb 08

Manchester United climbed two places to second in the latest Football Money League from business advisory firm Deloitte, which ranks the 20 biggest football clubs in the world based on revenue, but Real Madrid remains the world’s largest revenue generating club, completing a hat-trick of first place finishes.

Canal Plus and Orange win French Ligue 1 rights - 7 Feb 08

The Ligue de Football Professionnel agreed deals worth a total €668 million a year over four years with French pay-broadcaster Canal Plus and mobile operator Orange for its audiovisual rights.

Bidding extended for French Football rights - 4 Feb 08

France's football league (LFP) extended the bidding process for the TV rights for Ligue 1 matches from 2008 to 2012.

Orange is serious bidder for French Ligue 1 rights - 24 Jan 08

According to French media reports, mobile operator Orange has bid for all 12 packages of TV rights available in the Ligue 1 tender, including live rights.

Nine bidders for French league TV rights - 23 Jan 08

Nine bidders entered expressions of interest for French football’s Ligue 1 rights for the four-year period from 2008-09 to –2011-12.

Tour de France renews TV deal with France Télévisions - 23 Jan 08

The organisers of the Tour de France agreed a new five-year TV rights deal with French public-service broadcaster France Télévisions, reported to be worth around €120 million.

Canal Plus wants delay to French football rights tender - 11 Jan 08

Canal Plus said it will ask a Paris court to suspend the French football league’s TV rights tender next week.

French Rugby League tenders final rights - 3 Jan 08

French rugby’s Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) tendered the rights for the final of its Top 14 club competition.

Canal Plus buys Occade Sport - 3 Jan 08

Canal Plus, Vivendi’s pay-television unit, has agreed to buy Occade Sport, the Lyon-based organiser of sporting events.

France to bid for 2016 European Football Championship - 11 Dec 07

French Sports Minister Bernard Laporte said that France would bid to host the 2016 European Football Championship.

Canal Plus seeks suspension of French football TV tender - 10 Dec 07

According to French media reports, pay-broadcaster Canal Plus has asked France’s state council to suspend the French Football League’s TV rights tender, launched on November 30.

Orange “could change its strategy” for Ligue 1 TV rights - 6 Dec 07

French mobile operator Orange said it could now change its bidding strategy for French football’s Ligue 1 rights and may be interested in rights beyond the mobile and internet packages.

Expanded rugby World Club Challenge ruled out - 4 Dec 07

Plans for an expanded 16-team World Club Challenge have been dismissed by the Rugby Football League.

Ligue 1 offers 12 TV rights packages - 3 Dec 07

French football’s Ligue de football professionnel (LFP) will auction the TV rights for its top-flight matches, from 2008 to 2012, in 12 different packages instead of the four it sold last time.

Ligue 1 to launch TV rights tender this Friday - 27 Nov 07

French football’s Ligue de football professionnel (LFP) will launch its long-awaited TV rights tender on Friday according to French media reports.

LFP proceeds with four-year plan - 19 Nov 07

The French football league, the LFP, is expected to launch its TV rights tender in the first week of December, with a deal likely to be agreed in January or February.

Football shirt sponsorships increase again say Sport+Markt - 15 Nov 07

The prices paid by shirt sponsors within European football’s six key markets has grown to €405.3 million this season, up from €366.3 million last season according to a new report from Sport+Markt.

Skoda extends Tour de France partnership - 25 Oct 07

Czech carmaker Skoda has extended its partnership with the Tour de France by a further four years from 2008 to 2011.

French League to get four-year TV deal - 24 Oct 07

French authorities are set to allow the French football league, (the Ligue de Football Professionnel) to sell its TV rights over a four-year period in order to help it solicit more competition from the market.

Eurosport 2 to air French club rugby in primetime - 23 Oct 07

Eurosport 2 will broadcast live coverage of the French Rugby premiership – The TOP 14 - throughout the season on Fridays in prime time in all Eurosport 2’s territories, except France.

Bernard Lapasset Elected IRB Chairman - 22 Oct 07

Bernard Lapasset has been elected as Chairman of the International Rugby Board (IRB), the sport’s world governing body. The French Rugby Federation (FFR) President succeeds Dr Syd Millar, who did not seek re-election.

Eurosport 2 to deliver AST Dew Tour - 18 Oct 07

Eurosport is to provide a live international feed of NBC telecasts during AST Dew Tour event finals as part of multi-year deal signed with the action sports tour

French clubs’ association calls for Ligue 1 to delay TV rights tender - 9 Oct 07

The UCPF, the Union des clubs professionnels de football, has asked the French league to suspend its TV rights tender.

French broadcaster rakes in RWC bonus - 9 Oct 07

French broadcast group TF1 will make a profit on its €50 million outlay on the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

France Télévisions snaps up rugby rights - 3 Oct 07

French public-service broadcaster France Télévisions acquired the rights for rugby union’s Six Nations tournament for the period from 2010 to 2013.

New partnership for Lyon and Sportfive - 25 Sep 07

French Ligue 1 club Olympique Lyonnais agreed a ten-year deal with the Sportfive agency. Sportfive will help the club maximise revenues from its new stadium and aid the club’s international development.

France Telecom launches Orange Sports TV - 24 Sep 07

France Telecom has launched Orange Sports TV, an IPTV service that will feature sports news broadcast on television via the internet and direct to Orange mobile 3G network subscribers.

Aulas expects French league’s TV rights to increase - 10 Sep 07

Jean-Michel Aulas, president of Olympique Lyonnais, the Ligue 1 French club, said the TV rights for the league should fetch €750 million a year when they are tendered in November.

Ski world championship rocked by resignation - 7 Sep 07

The chief executive of the 2009 Alpine Ski World Championships has resigned from the organising committee.

LONG TERM WTA EVENT DEAL FOR IEC - 3 Sep 07

IEC in Sports was appointed to handle worldwide TV and Digital New Media distribution for the WTA Internationaux de Strasbourg for the period of 2008 to 2011.

Eurosport tops sports internet list - 31 Aug 07

Eurosport has topped a list of European internet sport content sites as measured by unique viewers according to new figures from ComScore.

NEWS GROUPS FIGHT RWC ACCREDITATION RULES - 29 Aug 07

News groups have contested the International Rugby Board’s press accreditation rules for the Rugby World Cup, which include limits on still images being published on websites.

AUSTRALIA SET TO ENTER TEAM FOR 2009 TOUR DE FRANCE - 15 Aug 07

An Australian team could compete in the 2009 Tour de France, financed by Gold Coast internet entrepreneur Tony Smith, according to Australian press reports.

PSG LAUNCHES WEB TV CHANNEL - 6 Aug 07

French Ligue 1 club PSG launched a web TV channel, www.psg.tv.

ANOTHER SPONSOR CONSIDERS TOUR FUTURE - 27 Jul 07

Dutch financial services company Rabobank is to review its sponsorship of professional cycling, following in wake of Swiss bike manufacturer BMC, as this year’s Tour de France continues to be beleaguered with doping scandal after doping scandal.

FRENCH COMPETITION AUTHORITY VETOS LFP’S TV PLAN - 26 Jul 07

France’s Conseil de la Concurrence, the country’s competition watchdog, refused the French football league, the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the right to sell its TV rights over a five-year period.

FORMULA ONE HOPE FOR MAGNY-COURS - 25 Jul 07

Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone is reportedly considering keeping the French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours for 2008.

VIVENDI POSSIBLY IN FOR PREMIERE - 24 Jul 07

There is growing speculation that French media group Vivendi could be interested in a takeover of German pay-TV broadcaster Premiere according to various media reports.

TWO MILLION TICKETS SOLD FOR RUGBY WORLD CUP 2007 - 23 Jul 07

With less than 50 days to go before the opening match of Rugby World Cup 2007 the France 2007 Organising Committee has announced that the two millionth ticket has been sold. The Committee’s objective of a minimum 85 per cent ticket sales target is therefore well on the way to being achieved.

CANAL+ FRANCE SECURES THE BEST OF ITALIAN SERIE A - 25 Jun 07

The Media Partners & Silva agency agreed a deal with Canal+ for the broadcast of Italian Serie A in France.

C10 SIGNS UP TO SPONSOR THE COUPE DE FRANCE - 15 Jun 07

The Sportfive AGENCY and the French Football Federation agreed a deal with drinks company C10 to become the Official Partner of French football’s Coupe de France.

TOUR DE FRANCE GETS NEW SPONSOR WITH SAGEM - 14 Jun 07

Cycling’s Tour de France agreed a deal with a new sponsor, mobile communication company Sagem.

LAGARDÈRE AGREES DEAL TO ACQUIRE IEC - 11 Jun 07

Lagardère SCA agreed a deal to acquire the entire capital of International Events and Communication in Sports (IEC), the Swedish sports rights specialist founded in 1994.

FRENCH SPORTS JOIN PREMIER LEAGUE ACTION AGAINST YOUTUBE - 7 Jun 07

The national French tennis federation, Federation Française de Tennis, and the French football league, Ligue de Football Professionnel, along with Cherry Lane Music Publishing Co joined the Premier League’s class action lawsuit against YouTube and Google.

SIX CITIES BID FOR FUTURE EUROPEAN ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS - 7 Jun 07

European Athletics announced that three applications have been received for both the European Athletics Indoor Championships 2011 and the SPAR European Cross Country Championships 2009.

CYCLING.TV PARTNERS WITH ASO FOR TOUR DE FRANCE - 7 Jun 07

IPTV sports channel Cycling.tv has partnered with Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO), the organisers and rights holders of cycling’s Tour de France, to produce daily online highlights shows.

210,000 ADDITIONAL TICKETS GO ON SALE FOR RUGBY WORLD CUP 2007 - 1 Jun 07

The Organising Committee of Rugby World Cup 2007 in France released over 210,000 additional tickets for sale online to the general public.

EUROSPORT EVENTS PARTNERS WITH NEW OCEANIC RACE - 29 May 07

Eurosport Events, a new subsidiary of Eurosport Group, agreed a partnership with SailingOne for the development of the SolOceans, a new single-handed oceanic round the world competition that will depart from France to New Zealand.

IRB GEARS UP FOR RECORD WORLD CUP REVENUE - 22 May 07

The International Rugby Board (IRB) has announced strong year-end financial results for 2006 driven by record revenues in the lead up to Rugby World Cup 2007.

GREEN LIGHT FOR HEINEKEN CUP - 21 May 07

The Heineken Cup will go ahead next season with a full compliment of English and French teams thanks to a settlement reached between European rugby’s key stakeholders.

100,000 EXTRA TICKETS GO ON SALE FOR RWC 2007 - 17 May 07

The Organising Committee of Rugby World Cup 2007 in France released over 100,000 additional tickets for general sale to the public.

RFU COUNCIL MOVES TO TRY AND SAVE HEINEKEN CUP - 27 Apr 07

The Rugby Football Union Council will vote today on a resolution which could secure the future of the Heineken Cup.

EARLY SEASON FORMULA ONE VIEWING ENCOURAGING - 24 Apr 07

An audience review of Formula One for the ‘Big Five’ European markets France, Spain, Germany, Italy and the UK shows audiences to have been generally very encouraging.

FRENCH AND ENGLISH RUGBY CLUBS FORM ALLIANCE - 20 Apr 07

French rugby’s national league (LNR) and England’s Premier Rugby formed an official alliance during a meeting yesterday. Both have pulled out of rugby’s premier European competition, the Heineken Cup next season.

ESPNSOCCERNET.COM LAUNCHES GERMAN AND FRENCH SITES - 18 Apr 07

ESPNsoccernet, the news and scores website, launched two new language versions. The site will now be available to users in both French (soccernet.fr) and German (soccernet.de).

ROLAND-GARROS LAUNCHES EUROPEAN MEDIA RIGHTS TENDER - 12 Apr 07

The French Tennis Federation, La Fédération Française de Tennis, launched a European media rights tender.

PUMA TAKEOVER BID MAY FALL SHORT - 11 Apr 07

Analysts say that billionaire French investor François Pinault may have to up his €5.3 billion bid for sports goods manufacturer Puma.

RUGBY CHIEFS TO DEBATE HEINEKEN CUP FUTURE - 11 Apr 07

European rugby chiefs will meet today to try to rescue next season’s Heineken Cup competition.

ENGLISH RUGBY CLUBS BACK EUROPEAN BOYCOTT - 3 Apr 07

English ruby union’s top clubs voted not to compete in next season's Heineken Cup if their French counterparts boycott the competition.

TF1 LOSES LIGUE 1 HIGHLIGHTS - 2 Apr 07

French commercial broadcaster TF1 lost the rights for French football’s Ligue 1 highlights.

LONDON FORUM TO HAVE FRENCH FLAVOUR - 28 Mar 07

The good health of French football will be in evidence at the Soccerex London Forum 2007, which has attracted the biggest French contingent in Soccerex’s history.

HAVAS SPORTS EXPANDS WITH UK SPONSORSHIP AGENCY - 23 Mar 07

Havas Sports, the global sports marketing division of Havas Media, acquired independent UK agency Sponsorship Media, as part of its international expansion.

PLATINI TO PUSH FOR EUROPE WORLD CUP IN 2018 - 15 Mar 07

UEFA president Michel Platini says he will put pressure on FIFA to ensure the 2018 World Cup takes place in Europe.

SPORTFIVE COMPLETES MANAGEMENT RE-JIG - 8 Mar 07

Now that the Lagardère Group’s acquisition of the Sportfive agency has been completed, the management structure of the agency has been changed, with Lagardère's Olivier Guiguet appointed interim CEO of Sportfive.

TV AUDIENCE BOOM FOR WRC - 7 Mar 07

Commercial rights holder of the FIA World Rally Championship, ISC, says the latest TV audience statistics show the global audience for the sport has rocketed by 46 percent over the past five years.

FRENCH FOOTBALL LEAGUE REPORTS PROFIT - 5 Mar 07

The French football league, Ligue de Football Professionnel reported a €3.27 million profit for 2005-06 season.

OLYMPIQUE DE MARSEILLE TAKEOVER STILL ON - 5 Mar 07

French Ligue 1 club Olympique de Marseille said the €115 million takeover of the club by Canadian businessman Jack Kachkar is still on.

COCA-COLA BECOMES OFFICIAL RUGBY WORLD CUP SUPPLIER - 2 Mar 07

The International Rugby Board (IRB) agreed a deal with Coca-Cola for its brand Powerade to become Official Supplier for the IRB Rugby World Cup 2007.

FRENCH RUGBY LEAGUE TO ATTRIBUTE LEAGUE RIGHTS - 1 Mar 07

French rugby’s Ligue Nationale de Rugby, will attribute its final remaining packages of media rights this week.

CONFUSION REIGNS OVER CYCLING’S UCI PRO TOUR OPENER - 26 Feb 07

A long-running row between the UCI, the sport's international governing body and organiser of the Pro Tour, and ASO, which organises the Tour de France as well as several ProTour events, continues to overshadow cycling.

ASO AND UCI CONTINUE VERBAL BATTLE - 21 Feb 07

The latest war of words between the organisers of the Tour de France and cycling’s world governing body the UCI, has erupted.

RENAULT QUITS GPMA - 19 Feb 07

Formula One team Renault has resigned from F1 pressure group the Grand Prix Manufacturers’ Association (GPMA) with immediate effect.

LONGINES TEAMS UP WITH ROLAND GARROS 2007 - 15 Feb 07

The Swiss watch brand Longines agreed a deal to become the new official partner and timekeeper for Roland Garros 2007.

EMIRATES FLYS IN FOR RUGBY WORLD CUP - 14 Feb 07

Emirates, the Dubai-based international airline, became a sponsor of one of the world’s biggest sporting events in an agreement making it Official Airline of Rugby World Cup 2007 in France.

SPANISH CLUBS TOP FOOTBALL MONEY LEAGUE - 8 Feb 07

The Deloitte Football Money League shows the total revenue of the world’s Top 20 clubs is now over €3.3 billion with Real Madrid ahead of the competition with total revenue of £202 million (€ 292 million).

SEVEN BIDDERS FOR TOP FRENCH RUGBY - 8 Feb 07

French rugby union’s Ligue Nationale de Rugby received seven bids for its TV rights.

TOSHIBA BECOMES RUGBY WORLD CUP SPONSOR - 7 Feb 07

The International Rugby Board appointed Toshiba as an Official Sponsor for Rugby World Cup 2007.

EUROSPORT RECRUITS NEW COMMS CHIEF - 1 Feb 07

Amy Sloane-Pinel has been appointed communications director for Eurosport worldwide.

LYON FIRST FRENCH CLUB TO FLOAT ON STOCK MARKET - 26 Jan 07

French Ligue 1 club Olympique Lyonnais is set to become the first French club listed on the Paris stock market.

FRENCH TOP 14 CLUBS TO BOYCOTT EUROPEAN CUP - 19 Jan 07

French rugby’s Top 14 clubs are to boycott next year's Heineken Cup competition in an ongoing row about the extent to which clubs should have a say in the overall running of the event.

FIA GEARS UP FOR CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE SUMMIT - 12 Jan 07

Max Mosley, President of the FIA and Professor Gérard Saillant, FIA Institute Deputy President, are to headline the FIA Institute Centre of Excellence Summit.

FRENCH RUGBY LAUNCHES TV RIGHTS TENDER - 9 Jan 07

The Ligue Nationale de Rugby, organiser of French rugby’s Top 14 championship, launched a tender for its TV rights.

WORLD CUP BRINGS TF1 TOP AUDIENCES - 3 Jan 07

French commercial broadcaster TF1 attracted record TV ratings in 2006, in large part due to the success of its World Cup coverage.

RACE OF CHAMPIONS DRIVES OUT OF PARIS - 18 Dec 06

The global showdown of motorsport champions from around the world will be staged in London in 2007 – switching from Paris.

UCI FACES HEADACHE AFTER TOURS BITE BACK - 14 Dec 06

Cycling’s world governing body, the UCI, faces a major rebellion after three of the biggest European tours announced they were changing their qualification criteria as of next year.

LE MONDE FACES LEGAL BATTLE WITH BARCA - 11 Dec 06

Spanish soccer giants Barcelona have vowed to sue French newspaper Le Monde over allegations it has made.

FRENCH ATHLETICS MULLS NEW ELITE SERIES - 5 Dec 06

The French Athletics Federation is in talks with media group Lagardère over a new Ligue Pro series.

FRENCH LEAGUE OPPOSES PAY-MERGER - 23 Nov 06

The French football league, Ligue de Football Professionnel lodged a complaint to the Prime Minister’s office about the merger of rival French pay-operators CanalSat and TPS.

FRENCH LEAGUE DEBUTS AT SOCCEREX - 21 Nov 06

The French Professional League “LFP” has set up an Official Delegation to attend the international football convention of Soccerex 2006 in Dubai for the first time.

SPORTFIVE SOLD TO LAGARDÈRE - 20 Nov 06

French media group Lagardère SCA acquired top sports agency Sportfive from its present shareholders in a deal based on an enterprise value of €865 million for Sportfive.