It has asked league president, Frédéric Thiriez, to delay launching the tender until the French authorities have made a definitive decision on the duration of any new contract.
The LFP had hoped to be allowed to sell its rights from the 2008-09 season for a period of five years, rather than the current restriction of three years, in an attempt to entice telecoms operators to bid for rights. The French competition regulator denied the league’s bid, but the issue is now being assessed by the sports minister.
The league says it has let the sports minister know that it would be willing to delay launching the tender, in order for the issue to be resolved. The tender was scheduled to be launched in November.
The UCPF said that it is important that the authorities take into account the changed TV landscape in France, since the merger of the country’s two pay-TV operators, and allow the league to sell the rights for an extended period of four or five years.
