TV Rights - Al Jazeera's new sports channel investing in French rugby

[Tim&Bingo]

The decision of the FFR to sell the Argentinian tour TV rights to Al Jazeera has caused a storm amongst French rugby fans who could not watch their team beaten by the Pumas this weekend unless they had a subscription to the Al Jazeera pay-per-view sports channel (Bein Sport)

I guess with the forthcoming T14 rights up for renegotiation soon the FFR will be looking for a bit more competition for Canal+

If you read about French rugby on a regular basis this season there's been plenty of speculation about Qatari investment in T14 rugby clubs, with Toulon and Bayonne regularly on the radar screen

No chance then of a World Club championship? I guess that depends on the money.

The link below I'll google translate underneath.

http://www.rugbyrama.fr/rugby/rugby-l-ombre-du-qatar_sto3316391/story.shtml




Last Saturday, the match between Argentina and France was broadcast on Al-Jazeera Sport bein. A new situation which has deprived many fans of the retransmission of the match and did not fail to create controversy. "I regret this situation," and has expressed Pierre Camou, president of the FFR. "I understand that some people are disappointed," admitted Charles Bietry, vice president for programs bein Sport, truth in an interview given to Midi Olympique. From this confusion, the newspaper of rugby has chosen to open the folder on the gradual arrival of Qatar in the French sport and its future influence in rugby in particular. A sport he is interested more and more. Sports programming Bein (Celtic League, Super League, NRL ...) or the presence of the OEM Burrda Sport (funded by a Qatari investment fund) to Toulon and Biarritz are in evidence.

Bietry: "No desire to neglect rugby"

This also stirs many fantasies. Thus, a project of the World Club Championship would be considered. Especially, the shade of this season Qataris hovered over Toulon and Bayonne. Since, Alain Afflelou and Mourad Boudjellal denied the rumors of occasions. But the fact remains that the arrival of Qatar in the field of rugby at the moment seems inevitable. "It is not impossible that bein Sport mingles with upcoming tenders for the Top 14 and Heineken Cup, says Charles Bietry elsewhere. [...] We did not want to neglect the rugby."


Further info - you can Googletranslate this yourselves!
http://www.rugbyrama.fr/rugby/le-match-sur-bein-sport_sto3314060/story.shtml

Are those NZ franchises still up for sale?

Interesting times eh?

 

[TOCC]

For the record Al Jazeera is a very good up and coming network, in recent years they have evolved from the 'CNN of the Middle East' to a more comprehensive broadcaster with sports broadcasting becoming a very big topic mainly on the back of football, the Bein broadcaster above is the equivalent of Foxsports Australia, its a premium sports subscriber. Yes Al Jazeera are state owned but they actually operate quite efficiently.

They don't operate in Australia at the moment and the whole broadcast network is more rigidly regulated so i can't see them starting up anytime soon either.

 

[Tim&Bingo]

RWC 2023 in Qatar to follow the 2022 Soccer WC? They'd have the stadiums!

 

[TOCC]

RWC 2023 in Qatar to follow the 2022 Soccer WC? They'd have the stadiums!

agh there is nothing i would hate more..

RWC should be reserved for either Tier 1(England/RSA) nations or big developing markets with a strong interest(Japan/Russia/USA)... UAE/QATAR is purely related to money, its not going to substantially boost the local market.

I think the 2023 RWC will probably head to South Africa, they did themselves proud hosting the FIFA World Cup, and its in the influential European time zone making it financially favourable. Although i wouldn't be surprised to see a push from either Russia or the USA.