- LFP launched Ligue 1+ DTC service this season after DAZN terminated domestic TV deal
- PSG CRO says French league is “at the front of the train” as a result
- French champions reported record revenue of €837m for 2024/25 campaign on back of Champions League win
Paris Saint-Germain’s chief revenue officer Richard Heaselgrave has admitted that the decline in Ligue 1’s media rights income is “a challenge” but said it has encouraged the club to think differently about how it grows its business.
Ligue 1 became the first of Europe’s ‘Big Five’ soccer leagues to roll out a direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming service in its domestic market this season after the French Professional Football League’s (LFP) five-year deal with subscription streaming service DAZN was terminated after just one season.
The launch of Ligue 1+ was the latest chapter in a tumultuous period for the league, which was kickstarted by the collapse of its €3.25 billion (US$3.7 billion) deal with Mediapro. Since then, the value of the competition’s domestic media rights has dropped amid lukewarm interest from broadcasters.
PSG still receive media rights revenue from European soccer body Uefa for competing in the Champions League, which they won last year, but do not benefit from the same level of television income that their European rivals in competitions like the Premier League and LaLiga do.
Some French clubs and team executives have previously highlighted the challenges caused by the LFP’s media rights issues, which Heaselgrave acknowledged on-stage during the SportsPro Media Summit in Madrid.
“Is it a challenge? Yes,” he said. “Would we like more media rights money? Yes. But interestingly, this sets up an interesting question for all of us. Are we at the front of the train? We probably are.
“We’re in a league that domestically isn’t watched so much. Therefore, we’ve gone direct-to-consumer [with Ligue 1+]which is doing a great job as a product. The question is whether it delivers as much money as the Premier League, which it clearly doesn’t. I’m not giving away trade secrets there.
“So is this a challenge? Yes. But is this a challenge for everyone coming down the line and any business which thinks the TV model from 30 years [ago] is the way to fund the business if you’re in sport?
“We’ve been talking about this for ten years, I think we’re just living it now. And I don’t think we’ll be the last sports club to do it.”
Reports in France suggest that Ligue 1 will distribute €142 million (US$163.5 million) to its clubs for this seasonincluding €30.1 million (US$34.6 million) for the eventual league champions. However, the LFP reportedly received a combined €500 million (US$575.3 million) from last season’s deals with BeIN Sports and DAZNwhich is significantly more than what it will generate in year one of operating its own service.
Heaselgrave said “a positive” of the situation was that it has made PSG think about their business beyond live rights more than clubs in other leagues might so that they can find different ways to reach new fans and drive revenue.
Those efforts have seen the Parisians seek to position themselves as a global lifestyle brand in order to diversify their fanbase by engaging with both younger and more international audiences.
This has helped fuel an increase in merchandise saleswhile the club has also grown its sponsorship portfolio through collaborations with streetwear and fashion brands and deals with companies in international markets like the US.
As a result, PSG have kept pace with Europe’s elite, ranking third in the most recent Deloitte Football Money League and reporting record revenue of €837 million (US$963.4 million) for the 2024/25 seasonincluding €367 million (US$422.4 million) from commercial income.
Winning the Champions League also played a big part in that success and Heaselgrave pointed out that not having a strong season in European competition is “a massive risk” due to the impact it has on revenue.
He therefore emphasised that ensuring PSG remain culturally relevant and are “taking Paris to the world” will be key to driving the club’s continued business growth.
“For a football club to be in the lives of people of any age in the future, you’ve really got to be in their lives,” Heaselgrave said. “If you’re just talking to football fans, that’s X per cent of the population. That’s not everybody. And as I said, in France, that’s not enough, we can’t compete if we just do that.
“So for us, it’s very, very important that we understand the lives of children, people in their 20s, people in their 30s, and be able to be culturally relevant in their lives. And that is around their habits, their loves, their likes, how they go out, where they show up, what music they listen to, what type of food they eat, the art they’re into.
“All of this comes back to our positioning in Paris, and that therefore is how we see our growth across the world. If that kicks us into a lifestyle brand, it absolutely has to, and does that kick us into a global mindset? It absolutely has to.
“So it’s not a choice, it’s a necessity. Yes, PSG wants to be a lifestyle brand, yes we understand why, and we have to think globally.”
Combining richer content, in-depth data and exclusive community benefits, SportsPro+ is your VIP pass into the global sports industry. Discover more here.
