French rugby’s LNR launches rights tender for 2027-31

Source: Alamy.com

France’s Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) has launched a tender for media rights for the country’s Top 14 and Pro D2 rugby leagues for the seasons from 2027-28 to 2030-31.

LNR president René Bouscatel said the outfit aimed to boost the development of professional rugby in France and to ensure that clubs had visibility over the medium term on the media exposure of the championships and future resources linked to audiovisual right sales.

Rights to both competitions are currently held by pay TV outfit Canal+, up to the 2026-27 season, while public channel France 2 has the rights to air the final of the Top 14 over the same period.

For the subsequent seasons, the LNR is offering four packs. Packs 1 and 2 include exclusive rights to the Top 14, including live regular season matches and the final phase matches, along with a magazine show.

Pack 3, in a first-time innovation for the LNR, includes two Top 14 matches and two Pro D2 matches during the regular season, the final phase matches and a daily magazine show.

Pack 4 is entirely dedicated to the Pro D2 league, covering all matches during the regular season, the final phase and the official magazine show of the competition.

The organisation is setting a limit of two broadcasters to hold the rights to one competition, and a maximum of three for the entirety of both competitions.

The LNR said bids would be judged on quantitative and qualitative criteria.

Candidates will also have an opportunity to extend their rights to cover the 2031-32 season.

The rugby organisation has set a reserve price per pack, and a total reserve price for all packs of €130 million.  Bids must be submitted by May 22.