Canal + loses 197,000 direct subscribers in one year in metropolitan France

The pay TV group Cbad + saw its subscriber base crumble in metropolitan France in the first half of the year, in an increased competitive environment that saw it lose important sports rights.

According to the release of results published by its parent company Vivendi Thursday, 4,792 million subscribers had signed a contract directly with Cbad + in France on June 30, against 4.989 million a year ago. Pay TV, however, has 135,000 additional subscribers via telecom operators (3,130 million on June 30, against 2,995 million a year ago). "Metropolitan France continues its recovery," said Vivendi in its statement, referring to a decrease in terminations of 19% in the first half of 2018 compared to the same period in 2017.

The figure of business progresses slightly. In France and abroad, Cbad + now has a total of 16 million subscribers (including via telecom operator contracts or corporate subscriptions), compared with 14.6 million at the end of June 2017. Africa from 2.713 million to 3.775 million subscribers in one year. Cbad +'s worldwide revenues increased slightly, by 0.8% in the first half, to 2.575 billion euros. But it is "still in slight decline" in France, also said Vivendi.

"We still have football for the next two years." Cbad + did not accept the soaring price of TV rights for the period 2020-2024 (they climbed 60% over the previous period to total more than one billion euros) and thus finds itself deprived of a historic badet . "It's important to keep in mind that we still have football for the next two years," said Arnaud de Puyfontaine, chairman of Vivendi's executive board, in a conference call with financial badysts.

No change of economic model in view. "Apart from football, we have a very consistent and attractive offer for the public, and when we examine the results of the group in France and abroad, in terms of dynamics, there is no need to change the model in the next two years, so we are focusing on what we are doing, and we are preparing a future for Cbad that will be very positive for us, "he added.

To stop the flight of its subscribers At the end of 2016, the group redesigned its offer with a range of new flexible subscriptions, ending its unique offer at around 40 euros. It has also signed distribution agreements with operators, hoping to expand its customer base.