After the public success of the ProD2 season (1,354,310 paying spectators among all 16 teams of the French Second Division for an average of 5,600 spectators per matchwith an increase of 18% compared to last season), the French club rugby scores another important result. The Ligue Nationale de Rugby announces the sale of television rights to Canal+ for the four-year period 2027/32 with a large increase in the figure already record. This confirms the French Top 14 as the most important championship in the world, which can afford to attract the best players, and the ProD2 as its growing reservoir.
14.7% increase
«After launching a new offer proposal without waiting for the current contract to expire in 2027 – Emmanuel Massicard writes on Midi Olympique-Midol – the LNR board approved on Wednesday 22 May the attribution of television rights to Canal+ for an amount of 139.4 million euros per season. The future contract has a duration of four years with the option for a fifth. The amount of rights per season is on average 128.7 million euros for the Top 14 (+13.3% in relation to the current contract) and 10.7 million euros for ProD2 (+36%). This brings the annual contract to 139.4 million euros (+14.7%) for a total of 696.8 million euros in five years.”
Top 14 world reference
These are low figures compared to football, or other top professional sports, but high, important and unattainable for club rugby anywhere in the world. Enough to make Renè Bouscatel, president of the LNR, proudly say, again from the columns of Midi Olimpique-Midol: « The success of this offer proposal is the result of many years of construction and strong political choices to make the Top 14 the reference championship for world rugby. The progression of ProD2 rights is also a sign of the dynamic development of this championship. This revenue benefits the whole of French rugby: Top 14, ProD2, amateur championships, the training chain and the French XV.”
Three matches and two magazines
The director general of the LNR Emmanuel Eschalier: «The new progression of audiovisual rights will allow professional rugby to plan with serenity for the future and to continue its development dynamic. The Canal+ offer also guarantees the LNR to have optimal exposure of its championships with three matches and two magazines every weekend on Canal+. Stability is an important point for rugby fans.”
