MBS Sports, the sports media agency owned by UK-based Media Business Solutions, has today acquired exclusive rights in Nigeria to French soccer’s top-tier Ligue 1 for the next three seasons.
The agreement will see MBS Sports provide live coverage of games in the country until the end of the 2023-24 campaign after being granted exclusive free-to-air, pay-TV, mobile and digital rights.
The deal was struck with BeIN Sports, the international pay-television operator and Ligue 1’s global distribution partner, and sees MBS Sports become the first Ligue 1 broadcast rights-holder in Nigeria.
The agency has rights to air live and delayed matches, highlights and the Trophée des Champions, contested annually by the league and domestic cup winners.
MBS Sports has announced it will sub-license rights to pay-TV and FTA broadcasters in Nigeria including ONTV, Wazobia, STV and NTA, while it will also show games on its own digital sport channel.
Ligue 1 has expanded its broadcast footprint into more than 200 territories this season and enjoyed a rise in viewership since the arrival of Argentina superstar Lionel Messi.
MBS becomes the seventh new broadcaster BeIN has added to the league’s portfolio this year since Paris Saint-Germain signed Messi on a free transfer following his departure from Spanish giants Barcelona in the summer.
In total, BeIN has sold Ligue 1 rights in more than 200 countries to over 50 broadcasters.
Mathieu Ficot, LFP deputy chief executive, said: “We are delighted to welcome Media Business Solutions as a new Ligue 1 broadcast partner in Nigeria. Nigeria is a key territory for LFP international development, and the Nigeria fanbase is one of the most important on our social media platforms.
“This agreement will bring the league an unprecedented exposure in the country.”
Richard Dimosi Diasolwa, MBS Sports founder and chief executive, added: “Our exclusive collaboration with BeiN Sports and Ligue 1 was forged on the basis of our commitment to bring the best in world-class sporting content to African audiences. We will, through sub-license agreements, reach several millions of viewers.”
In recent years, MBS Sports’ soccer content has included the Fifa World Cup, Spain’s LaLiga, Brazil’s Brasileiro and the Uefa Nations League in the sub-Saharan Africa region.
