TF1, which paid $60m for the exclusive TV rights to the 64 games of the World Cup, will undoubtedly make a staggering multi-million dollar loss on its outlay after the French national team was sensationally knocked out of the tournament in the first round group stages - losing its final game 2-0 against Denmark.
In what is the biggest shock of the tournament so far, the demise of France - the first defending champions to be knocked out in the first round since Brazil in 1966 - is an unmitigated disaster for TF1 whose viewing audiences will fall substantially with the lack of national interest.
Having attracted over 10 million viewers with an audience share of 76.3 percent to its broadcast of France's opening tie against Senegal, which the Gallic nation lost 1-0, TF1 is now faced with the undoubted reality that it will not get anywhere near such figures for the remainder of the tournament.
Prior to the tournament, TF1 had stated that, in order to recoup its investment in the World Cup rights, the national team would need to go all the way to the final.
For further background on TF1 and World Cup rights, see the archive section on our sister site www.SportBusinessTV.com
French terrestrial broadcaster TF1 is counting the massive cost of France's shock early exit from the soccer World Cup, after the reigning champions crashed out of the tournament.
