French football governing body LFP is suing DAZN over unpaid rights fees for this season. It is reported that DAZN has only paid half of the domestic TV rights money top-flight Ligue 1 clubs were owed this month.The football body called an emergency meeting with the 18 Ligue 1 clubs to discuss the situation which it deemed “urgent”. After that meeting, the organisation said: “The LFP has taken note of DAZN’s unfounded refusal to honour its financial commitments.”“The LFP, for its part, scrupulously respects all of its contractual commitments and will do everything possible to assert its rights. In particular, the LFP has decided to refer the matter to the interim relief judge in order to obtain, as a matter of urgency, an order against DAZN to pay the sums stipulated in the contract and an injunction to perform all of its contractual obligations.”Ligue 1 action is currently shown domestically by both DAZN (eight matches per game week) and beIN Sports (one game), through a deal that began at the start of this season. The agreements are worth around $550 million annually, with DAZN paying the vast majority.According to French press reports DAZN has grown concerned of LFP’s perceived lack of results in the fight against piracy. In addition, DAZN is also reportedly angry at Ligue 1 clubs for their limited help in giving the streamer editorial content. As a result, it only paid €35 million of TV rights money to Ligue 1 clubs this month when €70 million was expected to be distributed. The other €35 million have been frozen by DAZN.As well as DAZN, beIN has withheld its rights fee payments to the LFP on several occasions already this season.A Paris commercial court must rule on the dispute by the end of this week.
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