The carriage agreement between Canal+ and Eurosport in France has ended without a new deal, leaving Canal+ subscribers facing the possibility of losing access to the sports channel. Canal+ had previously warned subscribers that Eurosport could be removed from its lineup after November 14th, but it currently remains available.
This isn't the first time Warner Bros Discovery (WBD), Eurosport's owner, has been involved in a carriage dispute. The current situation is further complicated by WBD's push towards its direct-to-consumer streaming platform, Max, which launched in France in June. Max bundles content from HBO, Discovery, and Eurosport, but the contracts for Eurosport and Max remain separate.
Max is included in some Canal+ packages, but also offers a standalone subscription for €5.99 per month (with ads) and €10.99 per month (with Max Sports). Le Parisien reports that “discussions with Canal+ are continuing to find a fair agreement”.
This uncertainty follows news that Canal+, which launched Disney+ in France, will lose the streaming service starting January 1st, 2025. This highlights the ongoing shifts and challenges in the French television landscape, and the evolving dynamics between traditional pay-TV providers and streaming services.