French Professional Football League (LFP) President Frédéric Thiriez announced that “he will not be seeking a fifth term” this coming November, according to Étienne Moatti of L’ÉQUIPE. When asked about a possible resignation Thiriez responded, “Resign? To add crisis to a crisis? Only two months away from the launch of the Euro and with the League facing two short term difficulties: the deal between Canal+ and beIN Sports and the governing reforms? It would be completely irresponsible for me to leave the ship.” Thiriez has been the head of the league for 14 years and said, “It’s a lot. Fourteen years is enough. It’s enough for the League, without a doubt, also for me” (L’ÉQUIPE, 3/7). ESPN’s Mark Rodden reported Thiriez “helped Ligue 1 TV rights jump” from €230M in ’01 to €748.5M ($823.3M) for the current deal. During his latest term, many clubs “improved their grounds or built new stadiums as France prepares to host Euro 2016, while he also oversaw the introduction of goal line technology in French football.” Over the past year, however, the LFP has “lost a series of court battles and upset several clubs.” Last month a proposal to reduce the number of promotion and relegation places to and from Ligue 1, “strongly opposed by second tier teams, was definitively rejected by France’s highest administrative court” (ESPN, 3/8).
