French TV Deal

[Damien]

TV deal with L'equipe to show all Catalans games:

[fighting irish]

Hooray!!!!

[phiggins]

Will l’equipe be paying for the rights? If so, hopefully all going to Catalans given they’re footing all the travel bills now. 

[Sports Prophet]

Hey @Damien, Is this a pay tv channel or terrestrial? If terrestrial, is it regional and only played in Perpignan and surrounds?

[Barley Mow]

21 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

Hey @Damien, Is this a pay tv channel or terrestrial? If terrestrial, is it regional and only played in Perpignan and surrounds?

I believe it's a sports channel broadcasting throughout France. I could be wrong but don't think it's a pay TV channel.

I have a recollection that a similar deal existed with them last year (or a least the latter part of the season). I don't think l'equipe paid for the rights. Can anyone confirm?

Edited February 12 by Barley Mow

[eal]

I watched most Catalans games on L'Equipe last season for free with a VPN.

[barnyia]

It's the internet/red button of equipe 21 

So you need to go through the internet to watch. So not on the main tv channel, 

I'm not sure if they'll be paying the production costs or paying any money to the club for the rights. Probably not 

 

[Agbrigg]

33 minutes ago, barnyia said:

 

I'm not sure if they'll be paying the production costs or paying any money to the club for the rights. Probably not 

 

If that is correct, How can it be described as a deal. Perhaps more of a steal than a deal.

[Eddie]

1 hour ago, Agbrigg said:

If that is correct, How can it be described as a deal. Perhaps more of a steal than a deal.

It gets Rugby League on the tv screens of the French public, which is a massive plus. Catalans know that. 

[kiggy]

2 hours ago, barnyia said:

It's the internet/red button of equipe 21 

So you need to go through the internet to watch. So not on the main tv channel, 

I'm not sure if they'll be paying the production costs or paying any money to the club for the rights. Probably not 

 

if it;s like the TO "deal" last season, the club pay the production costs.

 

Do you know if the ViaOccitanie "deal" is going ahead this year for TO ? 

[gingerjon]

2 hours ago, Agbrigg said:

If that is correct, How can it be described as a deal. Perhaps more of a steal than a deal.

Did you say the same about the Channel 4 coverage of Super League?

[Harry Stottle]

21 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

Did you say the same about the Channel 4 coverage of Super League?

I think the question would be more relevant and very good news if it is like Channel 4 was on a Nationwide FTA channel.

[phiggins]

1 hour ago, Eddie said:

It gets Rugby League on the tv screens of the French public, which is a massive plus. Catalans know that. 

Yes, but at some point, we have to be able to sell the rights. rather than giving them away in the hope of exposure, like some open mic artist desparate for stagetime.

[gingerjon]

13 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

I think the question would be more relevant and very good news if it is like Channel 4 was on a Nationwide FTA channel.

It is free and nationwide.

[Eddie]

23 minutes ago, phiggins said:

Yes, but at some point, we have to be able to sell the rights. rather than giving them away in the hope of exposure, like some open mic artist desparate for stagetime.

Agreed, but clearly rugby league in France, with one professional club playing in a foreign competition, isn’t anywhere near in that place. Let’s not also forget Catalans did have a deal (worth around £75k iirc) but SL (under Elstone iirc) took it away. 

[Eddie]

Anyone who thinks a French national FTA TV company is going to pay for a SL TV deal needs to consider whether the BBC, ITV, C4 or C5 would pay to cover the Chester Chuckers’ matches if they were the only English team in the French Pétanque League. 

[barnyia]

The games are being shown on Catalan cable tv over the boarder in spain and on tv3 in spain also, 

 

[barnyia]

2 hours ago, kiggy said:

if it;s like the TO "deal" last season, the club pay the production costs.

 

Do you know if the ViaOccitanie "deal" is going ahead this year for TO ? 

I've not heard anything, via occitanie have not shown any super 13 games this year, the natv company has closed down too so they won't be showing any games, 

[Just Browny]

2 hours ago, Eddie said:

Anyone who thinks a French national FTA TV company is going to pay for a SL TV deal needs to consider whether the BBC, ITV, C4 or C5 would pay to cover the Chester Chuckers’ matches if they were the only English team in the French Pétanque League. 

In most of those cases, the TV company would look at what audience numbers the coverage was likely to attract and what that would mean in terms of subscriptions, ad revenue etc. 

Considering the number of French RL fans (and those who might be passive fans) it seems impossible to me that the value is zero: The Sportsman presumably take the view that 15k or 20k viewers makes it worth their while.

[gingerjon]

4 minutes ago, Just Browny said:

In most of those cases, the TV company would look at what audience numbers the coverage was likely to attract and what that would mean in terms of subscriptions, ad revenue etc. 

Considering the number of French RL fans (and those who might be passive fans) it seems impossible to me that the value is zero: The Sportsman presumably take the view that 15k or 20k viewers makes it worth their while.

How much do the Sportsman pay?

[Just Browny]

2 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

How much do the Sportsman pay?

£3.28. Dunno.

But they do the production themselves, whereas I think the filming for SL is done by Sky under the terms of that deal isn't it, whether the game is in UK or France.

[Eddie]

17 minutes ago, Just Browny said:

In most of those cases, the TV company would look at what audience numbers the coverage was likely to attract and what that would mean in terms of subscriptions, ad revenue etc. 

Considering the number of French RL fans (and those who might be passive fans) it seems impossible to me that the value is zero: The Sportsman presumably take the view that 15k or 20k viewers makes it worth their while.

Sportsman don’t show RL on a non subscription basis though. 

[Worzel]

This is good news. We're unlikely to ever get a paid French TV deal with only one club, with two it is an outside possibility (with home matches weekly) but even then unlikely.

Think we should see this as it is: An opportunity for Catalans to spread their footprint commercially, raise their profile in France and sell a bit more sponsorship. That's a good thing.  

[Blind side johnny]

19 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Sportsman don’t show RL on a non subscription basis though. 

Really? I watch it legitimately and don't pay anything.

[PECETTO]

2 hours ago, barnyia said:

The games are being shown on Catalan cable tv over the boarder in spain and on tv3 in spain also, 

 

The TO games home and away are being shown on their U tube channel.