Drahi Seeks Money Back for Halted Champions League Games
Billionaire Patrick Drahi wants his soccer money back.
(Bloomberg) -- Billionaire Patrick Drahi wants his soccer money back.
The media and telecom mogul said Altice Europe NV -- the group he controls -- is seeking to recover money the company paid for soccer games from the Union of European Football Associations Champions League that have been postponed since mid-March because of the coronavirus. Altice Europe’s RMC Sport broadcasts the games in France.
“The problem is that I didn’t see anyone play since mid-March,” Drahi told analysts during a call on Wednesday. “I’m not going to pay the league for something I’m not getting.”
Drahi said Altice Europe “introduced a claim” and wouldn’t give more details since the discussions were “confidential.”
He said the broadcast rights for the season cost 350 million euros ($384 million), with a first payment of 175 million euros made in July and a second made in January.
UEFA didn’t immediately reply when contacted by email outside of normal business hours.
The soccer body plans to finish this season’s games by the end of August, Agence France-Presse and the U.K.’s Telegraph newspaper have reported.
©2020 Bloomberg L.P.