Eurosport taking action over Canal+ non-payment

Discovery-owned sports network Eurosport has reportedly taken legal action against Canal+ over alleged non-payment of carriage fees due from last year’s COVID-19 lockdown in France.

According to a report in financial daily Les Echos, the Vivendi-owned pay TV operator is alleged to have unilaterally withheld payments after a number of sporting events to have been aired by Eurosport were cancelled.

Eurosport reportedly receives around €40 million in fees from Canal+ each year. According to Les Echos, the sports network is involved in legal action against the pay TV operator before the Tribunal Judiciaire de Paris, claiming reimbursement of payments not made along with damages and interest for unfair competition, with the claim amounting to a total of €10 million.

According to the paper, the case, which was initiated in January, is still at a preliminary stage, with a hearing due to take place in January next year.

Canal+ is currently also facing legal action from free-to-view commercial broadcaster TF1 and public broadcaster France Télévisions over the pay TV operator’s decision to ir a number of movies free-to-view during the COVID pandemic lockdown last year.

The pair are claiming compensation after accusing Canal+ of ignoring France’s strict windowing regime by jumping the gun to show movies in the clear during their pay TV window.

The broadcasters have also taken action with the Tribunal Judiciaire de Paris, alleging unfair competition.