PARIS (AP) — French league president Vincent Labrune was re-elected Tuesday to another four-year term with an overwhelming majority.
The league (LFP) said Labrune, who was formerly club president of nine-time French champion Marseille, received strong support from the board and was then elected by the general assembly in the first round of ballots with 85.67% percent of the votes.
“After a first mandate marked by emergency solutions and long-term responses to the unprecedented crisis in the financing of audiovisual rights, an era of transformation for professional soccer has now begun,” the league said in a statement."
The vote was expected to be tighter because Labrune had faced criticism in recent months over the handling of the league’s TV rights.
Following the collapse of its record-breaking TV rights contract with Spanish-based broadcaster Mediapro four years ago, the league hoped it could get up to 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) per year from the sale of broadcasting rights for 2024-29 but had to lower its target.
In the end, the league settled for 500 million euros per year after sealing a late deal with British streaming platform DAZN and BeIN Sports.
Under Labrune, the French soccer league also approved an investment deal with private equity firm CVC Capital Partners as part of a new commercial subsidiary in charge of marketing media rights. CVC invested 1.5 billion euros in return for a 13% stake in the new commercial subsidiary managing TV rights, valuing the entire capital of the commercial subsidiary at 11.5 billion euros.
The CVC deal, which was sealed in 2022 after French soccer came close of bankruptcy, is supported by a large majority of clubs. But it has been challenged by Le Havre, which launched a lawsuit against the French league because it is unhappy with the repartition of the money.
In addition, the French National Financial Prosecutor’s Office said this year it was assessing a complaint focusing on possible misappropriation of public funds when the LFP’s trading company was created following the partial transfer of capital to CVC.
The league said Tuesday it will now work on reducing the deficit of its clubs and enhancing the value of its competitions in partnership with broadcasters and CVC.
After the Mediapro collapse, the league was forced to ask the government to set up a financial rescue plan amid huge revenue losses exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. The deal with Mediapro should have been worth more than 4 billion euros ($4.8 billion) over four years for the top two tiers but collapsed after only four months.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
FILE - Vincent Labrune, left, head of the French soccer league, and Jean-Michel Aulas, President of the Olympique Lyonnais soccer team, leave the French soccer federation, Jan. 11, 2023, in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, File)
LONDON (AP) — He played soccer with Vinícius Júnior in Brazil and walked the runway with pal Joe Burrow in Paris.
Now, he’s bringing the Griddy back to London.
In other words, Justin Jefferson is right at home.
The Minnesota Vikings receiver is embracing the international spotlight and becoming a global star at the right time as the NFL adds more games in foreign cities.
The undefeated Vikings arrived in London on Friday morning ahead of their game against the New York Jets at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.
“Just to play in a whole different country, around a whole new fan base, around people that don’t get to see you play — it’s very cool,” Jefferson said at the team's hotel in Watford, England.
“We’re the only country that really plays the sport the way we do. Expanding it and getting some fans in other countries is very cool.”
London is just the latest port of call for Jefferson, who visited Rio de Janeiro in 2023 to spend time with Real Madrid star Vinícius. They played soccer and foot-volley, but Jefferson also learned about Brazilian cuisine and Black artists in the bohemian Santa Teresa neighborhood. At the end of the trip, he wiped away a tear when reflecting on the experience.
In June, Jefferson hit Paris a couple of weeks after signing a four-year extension — the richest contract in NFL history for a non-quarterback. Jefferson and Burrow — their 2019 season at LSU ended with the national championship — got dressed up to walk the Vogue World 2024 runway, the trip all detailed by the fashion magazine.
The 25-year-old Louisiana native also toured Rome this summer with his parents and one of his older brothers as part of a promotion with a travel company.
That was followed by a starring role in the Netflix documentary series “Receiver,” in which Jefferson opens up about his alter ego “Jets,” his love of Sour Patch Kids candy and his tight relationship with his parents and brothers.
It's all marketing gold for a league that hopes to play as many as 16 international games each year. Brazil hosted its first NFL game this season. Spain gets its first game next season, to be played in Real Madrid's iconic and newly renovated Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
“Justin Jefferson is a great example of the type of young athlete in the NFL that we would like to make a face of the NFL internationally and especially in the U.K. and obviously with the Vikings being active here, that makes sense,” said Henry Hodgson, general manager of the NFL’s UK office.
The league's “global markets program” gives teams rights in selected countries to sign commercial deals and hold events for fans. The Vikings have the U.K. as one of their markets — Canada is the other.
Jefferson said playing a game in Brazil would be “phenomenal.”
“I feel like having one in Italy would be a fire place to have one. Paris would be a fire place to have one,” he added. “Wherever, it will be a different vibe and a different culture just being in a different country.”
Jefferson, the NFL's co-leader in TD receptions (4) entering Week 5, made a great first impression in the U.K. two years ago when the Vikings beat the New Orleans Saints 28-25. He had 10 receptions for 147 yards and a rushing touchdown — and of course he hit the Griddy.
“It's a blessing. To go from my mom telling me I need a touchdown celebration to now the whole world is doing the celebration — kids doing it left and right, and it's still going five years after I first hit it,” he said.
He has something planned for Sunday in the end zone, but “I just can’t let you know right now.”
The Vikings are running an ad on a large video screen above the entrance to the busy Euston Underground Station in London. Jefferson features prominently in it as does rejuvenated quarterback Sam Darnold.
Jefferson's Vikings jersey was the No. 2 best seller in the U.K. in September, the league said, second only to that of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
The league recruited Jefferson as a global flag football ambassador in 2023.
“When players lean into that international travel and obviously enjoy the idea of both visiting overseas and playing overseas, it does make the fanbase like them," Hodgson said.
“Obviously, it helps that he’s a big character, a fantastic player on the field and someone that fans, regardless of what team you support, he’s one of those players in the NFL that people look out for because he’s an exciting player to watch.”
AP Pro Football Writer Dave Campbell contributed from Eagan, Minnesota.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18), left, talks to head coach Kevin O'Connell during a practice session at The Grove in Watford, England Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) looks on during NFL football practice at The Grove in Watford, England Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson speaks during a news conference after NFL football practice at The Grove in Watford, England, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) catches a pass over Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (24) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson warms up before an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) celebrates a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) celebrates a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, right, scores a touchdown past Green Bay Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon (25) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) celebrates after catching a touchdown pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
