It's a funny for that women's football. Originally included in the most prestigious prizes for men and hopes, the TV rights specialists on women's football is becoming the subject of a separate market. Direct 8, the DTT channel created by the Bolloré Group and is currently being acquired by Canal +, made the nice observation. "In 2007, Yannick Bolloré has decided to change our schedule to that of a general channel, explains Thierry Cheleman, Director of Sports Direct 8. Implying sports programs. " Although too small to address the sporting rights of the men's national team, then put Direct 8 on the lower category. "At the time, the French Football Federation (FFF) launched a tender for the national championship and hopes, the director continues.This lot also included the TV rights of the Women's Team France until 2014, for which we are therefore committed to broadcast three games a year. "
Public expectations for the beautiful game
Bingo. More than blueberries (or hopes), the girls create the surprise sport in 2009 and 2010 during the qualifying matches in the Women's World Cup 2011. Helping performance, each game attracts between 300,000 and 400,000 viewers on TNT channel, reaching over 700,000 fans August 25, 2009, for the first prime-time (France / Serbia).
Rebelote in 2011. Building on this success for the Hearing, Direct 8 means in effect in 2010 with Eurosport, a subsidiary of TF1, the rights of the Women's World Cup 2011, acquired at the same time as the Men's World Cup 2010. Coproducts and codiffusés by both channels, games are a success hearings.Especially since the disappointment surrounding the men's team at the World Cup in South Africa in 2010 frustrated football fans. "After the episode of Knysna, there was a latent expectation of the French for the beautiful game and a fighting team, Fabrice Lorvo analysis, a sports marketing specialist at FTPA. The public was ready to ignite their national team. The spark, it is the girls who brought them. "
To date, the semi-final France / USA Women's World Cup represents the historical record of the chain … and all channels TNT (2.43 million viewers, 17.4% audience share). Normally, the average audience of Direct 8 between 2 and 2.5% market share. Since then, the magic continues.Since the start of the qualifying matches for Euro 2013 Blue to seduce between 720,000 and 940,000 fans.
The appetite of the major broadcasters would raise prices
Given this popularity, the chain does not stop there, and is now attacking the European and national. "If a French club in 2012 reached the final of the Champions League Women, we might be candidates to UEFA to broadcast the match," said Thierry Cheleman. Last year, the epic European Lyonnaises, who had won the competition against Potsdam, had already resulted in an audience of 1.2 million viewers (4.9% market share), peaking 1.9 million. Meanwhile, the management of Direct 8 has made an offer to FFF for TV rights of the first women's division (D1) over the period 2012-2014.Insufficient supply, Eurosport and France Television has won the set in August.
It is the flip side: the structuring of the market for women's football TV rights could eventually crowd out smaller players. "For the TV rights are the subject of a market requires that the images are produced and disseminated. Two years ago, it was not the case for women's football. Direct 8 that produces the games itself, has allowed the emergence of women's football on television in the clear, "Fabrice Lorvo analysis. On average, the chain said spend between 40,000 and 50,000 euros per game. The emergence of such a market whets the appetites and proposals for new broadcasters.
For the giants of the sport are Eurosport and Canal + could well participate in the cost inflation of rights, if performance women are superior to those of men.Inflation that is already seeing Thierry Cheleman, even if they are about 100 times lower than those of men. From this point of view, the acquisition by the pay channel Direct 8 could be an asset, "even if it is too early to draw clear ambitions to Canal + for Direct 8 on women's football," he concludes .
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