Ligue 1 needs parity to boost global broadcasting interest

France’s Ligue 1 is widely considered one of the world’s top soccer leagues. Many experts, including British sports analytics firm Opta, say that only four other divisions are better. The Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, and Bundesliga are all closely followed by soccer fans across the globe. Despite this, Ligue 1 remains far behind these comparative leagues based on following and viewership figures.

Stars in the sport tend to move the needle quite a bit. Fans ultimately want to watch the best players on the pitch. While the French top flight does have some great players, a majority of the biggest stars are currently in the other four aforementioned leagues.

Ligue 1’s top superstar, Kylian Mbappe, even recently defected from the division’s top team, Paris Saint-Germain, to sign with LaLiga’s Real Madrid. The move could very well further lower interest in the league. After all, Mbappe is perhaps the best soccer player on the planet.

Lack of parity has hindered fan interest in Ligue 1

Nevertheless, Mbappe’s recent departure could also eventually end up helping Ligue 1 boost viewership. PSG has dominated the French top flight over the last decade or so. The Parisians have collected 10 of the last 12 Ligue 1 titles. They also finished second in the two seasons that they failed to win the championship.

Because of this domination, many soccer fans see Ligue 1 as a one-team league. The French division has just been a showcase for PSG. Serie A previously experienced similar gripes from fans as well. Juventus collected nine consecutive Italian titles between 2012 and 2020. As a result, foreign interest in the division dropped.

Serie A, however, then benefited from Juve’s subsequent fall. Since the Old Lady collected a title there have been three different league winners in the last four years. This has undoubtedly made the league more interesting. It was recently reported that Serie A viewership reached record highs inside the country.

A similar situation also occurred in the Bundesliga. Much like Juventus, Bayern Munich dominated the German top flight in recent years. However, Bayer Leverkusen recently shocked the soccer world by topping the Bavarians to collect their first league title. German soccer officials are hoping that Leverkusen’s triumph will boost Bundesliga interest globally, particularly in the United States.

Marseille could help French league gain traction overseas

As PSG is possibly heading for a falloff without Mbappe, many pundits are picking Marseille to be the biggest Ligue 1 challengers. The Olympians have completely revamped their roster under American owner Frank McCourt. Just four players in the squad were signed before 2022.

Team brass has already brought in 10 new players this summer and they are still in the market for other additions. Along with a plethora of new players, Marseille also grabbed highly-rated coach Roberto De Zerbi to lead the team. The Italian is considered a top manager and will bring an attractive attacking style to his new team.

BeIN SPORTS recently signed a new American broadcasting deal with the French league. The agreement was in place just in time for the start of the 2024/25 season. Marseille may not be the most likable club due to a few controversial summer signings. However, beIN SPORTS and Ligue 1 could benefit from another team winning the title outside of PSG.

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