French Professional Sports Stakeholders Call for Finalizing, Improving Sector Reform

Professional sports organizations in France are calling on the National Assembly to finalize a proposed reform bill, while also advocating for specific improvements. The bill, set to be examined by lawmakers next Monday, aims to modernize the sector, but stakeholders have raised concerns about several key provisions.

In a joint statement, leagues and representatives from various professional disciplines, including football, rugby, cycling, handball, volleyball, and basketball, acknowledged the bill's positive aspects. They highlighted its potential to combat piracy, enhance transparency, promote ethics, improve representation, support women's sports, and strengthen regulation. However, they expressed reservations about measures adopted by the National Assembly's Committee on Cultural Affairs in May.

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The work undertaken by Parliament includes many very positive provisions regarding the fight against piracy, transparency, ethics, representation of stakeholders, the development of women's sports, and regulation.

A primary point of contention is the proposed obligation to broadcast one match per week for free. Sports bodies argue this would "severely affect the value of audiovisual rights" commercialized by the leagues, leading to detrimental economic consequences. They contend that public access to competitions is already sufficiently guaranteed through existing mechanisms like news highlights and major event broadcasts.

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severely affect the value of audiovisual rights commercialized by the leagues and would have deleterious economic consequences.

Furthermore, stakeholders are pushing for the removal of a clause limiting club payrolls to 65% of their budget, asserting it would undermine French sports' international competitiveness. They also seek to revise provisions concerning fan involvement in governance, particularly those mandating consultations on strategic or economic decisions. Conversely, they support amendments made in May aimed at strengthening anti-piracy measures, controlling sports agents, and ensuring better representation for athletes and coaches within federations.

The organizations concluded by stating that while parliamentary work has already yielded significant progress, the upcoming public session should focus on consolidating these advancements to finalize an ambitious, balanced, and operational law.

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The parliamentary work has already enabled important progress to strengthen our model and prepare for the future; the public session examination must now allow for their consolidation and the finalization of an ambitious, balanced, and operational law.