Chinese-owned Mediapro crashed French football's television rights party in style, snapping up the right to broadcast Ligue 1 matches domestically for the period 2020 to 2024 for 1.153 billion euros ($1.33 billion) annually, the French league (LFP) announced.
"It was a successful bidding process, with a significant increase of our TV rights," said LFP president Nathalie Boy de la Tour, with the existing deal for 2016 to 2020 valued at 726.5 million euros.
Based in Spain but owned by the Chinese private equity fund Orient Hontai, Mediapro snapped up the leading packages put up for auction on Tuesday as longtime French football broadcaster Canal+ was left empty-handed.
"It's a historic turning point," said Didier Quillot, the French league's chief executive.
"We haven't quite had time to crack open the Champagne, but we're happy. It proves that our football is getting better, and broadcasters are starting to recognise that too.
"Our football is now more entertaining, we have a seven percent increase in attendances at stadiums and television audiences are up 25 %."