"For a channel created less than a month ago, it looks very good": we watched Ligue 1+ with the first subscribers

Many people turned out on Friday evening to discover the new platform of the French football championship. Ligue 1+ was launched with the first match of the season.

Francesco didn't miss a beat of this first match. This Olympique de Marseille supporter obviously took out his subscription to follow his players' first match of the season against Rennes on Friday, August 15. With an average offer of less than 15 euros, Ligue 1+ is two to three times cheaper than the old broadcaster DAZN. "When I saw the prices, much more advantageous than in previous years, I didn't hesitate," assures Francesco in front of his TV. "A friend and I opened an account. We think that paying a little more than seven euros each per month is great compared to the thirty or forty euros we had to pay a year ago."

For this big premiere, Francesco was not too disoriented compared to the voices of the commentators. League 1+ has recruited journalists and consultants who are already well-known in the world of French football. "Xavier Domergue, like Benoît Cheyrou, are voices that football fans have previously known from Canal+ or M6."

Among the League's marketing arguments 1+, there's this immersive experience. The broadcaster wants to revolutionize football broadcasting in France by taking viewers behind the scenes. During the opening match between Rennes and OM, Ligue 1 cameras 1+ followed a sent-off player into the locker room. "A little behind-the-scenes footage doesn't hurt," smiles Francesco. "For a channel that launched a month ago with little time to prepare for the first match, it looks great."

No hitch on the production side. On the broadcast side, Prime Video subscribers still missed the pre- and post-match "due to a technical issue that the Amazon platform promises to resolve quickly," reports L'Equipe . On the pitch, however, nothing worked for Francesco's favorite team. Marseille, despite their numerical advantage, lost to a well-positioned Rennes side. "This sport makes me unhappy. We haven't been happy once ! We're already sad and dejected on a Friday night, but we'll be there next week."

Not enough to make Francesco want to cancel his subscription. "We need to separate the channel from the team," says this OM supporter ironically. This weekend, Francesco will be able to watch seven more matches from this first day with Ligue 1. 1+, because beIN Sport keeps one match per matchday. Next year, all matches will be broadcast on the new platform of the Professional Football League.