Sports television is both a major source of viewership for free-to-air channels and the primary reason for subscribing to pay TV services. As a result, the battle to acquire sports rights is raging in every country around the world. In Africa, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) manages the sports rights for pan-African football competitions.
At a meeting held on November 5, the confederation announced the unilateral termination of its agency contract with Lagardère Sports, the main holder of sports rights in the French-speaking region. This is a significant announcement that could well change the landscape of sports rights on the continent.
The contract, which covered the marketing of media and marketing rights for major CAF sporting competitions, had bound the two parties since 2016 and was set to run until 2028. The announcement therefore puts an immediate end to this collaboration.
In response to the announcement, Lagardère issued a press release contesting CAF's unilateral decision, which it deemed "illegal, abusive, and unfounded."
"Indeed, there is no justification for terminating the contract, nor for the ongoing investigation by the COMESA Competition Commission (CCC), which has not yet issued a decision. Lagardère deeply regrets this situation and calls on CAF to return to a reasonable position as soon as possible and to continue, as it has done, to honor its commitments."
To be continued…
Read also: Sports rights in French-speaking Africa