A ligue 1 player


 Paris Saint-Germain’s chief revenue officer, Richard Heaselgrave, has acknowledged that the steady decline in Ligue 1’s domestic broadcast earnings poses “a challenge” for the club, but stressed that the situation has pushed PSG to rethink how it expands and sustains its commercial operations.

This season, Ligue 1 became the first of Europe’s top five football leagues to introduce a direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming platform within its home market. The move followed the early termination of the French Professional Football League’s (LFP) five-year broadcast agreement with DAZN, which ended after just one year.

The launch of the new Ligue 1+ service marks another stage in what has been a turbulent few years for the league. The instability began when Mediapro’s €3.25 billion (US$3.7 billion) rights deal collapsed, triggering a significant downturn in the league’s media-rights valuation and lukewarm interest from traditional broadcasters.

PSG still benefit from broadcast payments received through UEFA for their participation in the Champions League—which they won last season—but those revenues are still well below what is earned by clubs in leagues such as the Premier League or LaLiga.

Several French clubs and executives have repeatedly voiced concerns about the LFP’s media-rights struggles. Speaking at the SportsPro Media Summit in Madrid, Heaselgrave openly addressed the situation.
He said: “Is it a challenge? Yes. Would we like more media rights money? Yes. But it sets up an important question: are we ahead of the curve? Probably.”

He continued, explaining that Ligue 1 has faced lower domestic viewership, prompting the shift toward direct-to-consumer broadcasting through Ligue 1+. Although the product is performing well, he acknowledged that it cannot match the financial strength of major leagues’ TV deals. “That’s not a secret,” he added.

Heaselgrave argued that the issue is not unique to France, but indicative of a broader shift affecting all sports organisations that still depend heavily on the traditional television model. “We’ve been talking about this for ten years. Now we’re living it. And we won’t be the last club to experience it,” he said.

Reports from France indicate Ligue 1 will distribute about €142 million (US$163.5 million) to clubs this season, with €30.1 million (US$34.6 million) earmarked for the champions. That figure is far lower than the approximately €500 million (US$575.3 million) the LFP reportedly received last season from its combined agreements with BeIN Sports and DAZN—highlighting the revenue gap created by operating its own DTC service.

Despite these challenges, Heaselgrave said one “positive” outcome is that PSG have been compelled to broaden their business strategy beyond live broadcast income. As a result, the club has intensified efforts to find new audiences and develop alternative revenue streams.

To achieve this, PSG have deliberately repositioned themselves as a global lifestyle brand aimed at younger and more international fan groups. This shift has contributed to increased merchandise sales and an expanding commercial portfolio featuring collaborations with fashion, design, and streetwear brands, alongside new partnerships in markets such as the United States.

These efforts have helped PSG remain financially competitive with Europe’s biggest clubs. The team ranked third in the recent Deloitte Football Money League and posted record revenues of €837 million (US$963.4 million) for the 2024/25 season, including €367 million (US$422.4 million) from commercial activities.

Their Champions League triumph also delivered a major financial boost. Heaselgrave noted, however, that failing to perform well in European competitions remains “a massive risk” because of the substantial income at stake.

He stressed that PSG’s long-term growth will depend on their ability to remain culturally relevant worldwide by “taking Paris to the world.”

“To remain part of people’s lives in the future, we have to be truly embedded in their culture,” he said. “If we only speak to traditional football fans, that’s only a portion of the population—and in France, that is not enough for us to compete.”

He emphasised that the club must understand and reflect the lifestyles of younger generations—how they socialise, what they enjoy, what influences their identity, and the culture they consume, including music, food, art, and fashion.

According to Heaselgrave, PSG’s Parisian identity is central to this strategy and plays a pivotal role in the club’s global positioning. “If that pushes us toward a lifestyle brand, then it must. If it pushes us to think globally, then it absolutely must,” he said. “This isn’t an optional direction—it’s essential. PSG wants to be a lifestyle brand, and we understand why. We have to think on a global scale.”

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