BeIN Sports, Canal+ To Share Champions League Broadcast Rights In France

BeIN Sports and pay-TV operator Canal+ will "share French rights to UEFA Champions League football for the next three seasons," according to DIGITAL TV EUROPE. BeIN Sports "has secured rights to air the best match from Tuesday nights, while Canal+ has secured first choice for Wednesdays." BeIN Sports "will air the final, which will also be shown on a free-to-air channel." The Al Jazeera-owned broadcaster "also retains the rights to any match in the knockout stages if there is only one French side left in the competition." Despite being forced "to share the rights to the best matches of the competition for the first time, Canal+ said it was 'very pleased' with UEFA’s award of a premium tranche of rights, which would allow it to extend its football coverage on a sustainable basis." According to French sports daily L’Équipe’s online edition, UEFA "has secured an uplift of 30% in the price paid for the totality of rights" to about €145M ($201M) by splitting the premium lots (DIGITAL TV EUROPE, 4/14).