French football is in turmoil as their television rights deal with Mediapro went up in flames. When the Barcelona based media company offered around $1 billion a year to broadcast French football for four seasons, it seemed too good to be true. Fast forward a few months, and the contract is worthless.
The Ligue de Football Professionnel now more than ever need to give football viewers a reason to watch Ligue 1. With Paris Saint-Germain on the verge of extending their superstar forward Neymar Jr., football write Jonathan Wilson wrote a piece in Sports Illustrated stating that the French league needs to rely heavily on the 29-year-old and his teammate Kylian Mbappé.
Pending a contract extension with the 22-year-old, which PSG is confident in securing, French Football has two marketable players for the casual audience to tune and watch.
Furthermore, Wilson adds that Ligue 1 will have two superstars representing them in the next World Cup cycle, and they need to take advantage. In the past, Ligue 1 referees failed to protect PSG’s superstars, letting opponents take whacks at them, especially Neymar.
With Ligue 1 needing superstars to be front and center, it could lead to more protection for Neymar from the referees. Having the Brazil international on television benefits the league. Neymar came to write his legacy with PSG, and away from FC Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, now he could have a hand in trying to rescue French football.
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