Clubs in French soccer’s top-flight Ligue 1 have agreed to the Professional Football League’s (LFP) investment deal with private equity firm CVC Capital Partners.
Earlier this month, it was confirmed the LFP had entered exclusive discussions over Luxembourg-based CVC taking a 13 per cent stake worth €1.5 billion in the organisation’s new commercial company that will handle the selling of broadcast rights for Ligue 1.
The LFP said that the deal would value French soccer’s commercial arm at €11.5 billion.
According to L’Équipe and RMC Sport, the LFP will receive an initial €600 million this July. Paris Saint-Germain, widely accepted as France’s biggest club, will reportedly take €200 million of the €1.5 billion investment, having initially wanted about 30 per cent of the total.
Olympique de Marseille and Olympique Lyonnais will purportedly pocket €90 million apiece, while OGC Nice, Stade Rennais, AS Monaco and Lille OSC will get €80 million each.
These payments will be made over there years. The first amount will be 40 per cent of the total, followed by consecutive 30 per cent installments over the next two seasons.
Remaining Ligue 1 clubs will reportedly be paid €33 million each. Of this amount, €16.5 million will arrive this July and the remaining half will be received in June 2023.
The LFP will also reportedly immediately reimburse a €170 million state loan it took during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, the organisation will place €100 million in a reserve fund and a further €100 million will be be used for operating costs for the new commercial company.
The deal is expected to be formally signed off at an LFP general assembly on 1st April.
