From July 2024, the French top flight will be officially rebranded as Ligue 1 McDonald’s after the LFP came to an agreement with the American fast food empire for the naming rights of the league for the next three seasons.
This deal marks an end to a four-year partnership with Uber Eats after the delivery service failed to match the offer put in place by McDonald’s. It’s a deal that is expected to net the competition 30 million per year which would be a clear increase from the €15-16 million agreement that the league previously had with Uber Eats.
Uber Eats reportedly were keen to decrease the amount that they were investing in the league, which was a worrying prospect for a division that has struggled to bring in investment. The LFP have struggled to sell both their domestic and international television rights recently. Even cancelling its bidding process after broadcasters did not meet its minimum asking price.
This injection of cash from McDonald’s comes at a necessary time for a league that is in desperate need of investment while its market looks to be shrinking.
GFFN | Nick Hartland