A graduate of ESCP Europe, Ben Morrell brings significant experience in sports and entertainment, having served as CEO of Six Nations Rugby since 2018. Ben Morrell has previously spent more than 20 years with the National Basketball Association (“NBA”), notably As Managing Director and Senior Vice President, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. During his tenure with these two great sporting organizations, he has played a key role in improving the fan experience, fostering international growth and developing key revenue streams to reinvest in sport.
Ben Morell will take up his new position in the spring of 2023.
In July 2022, the French Football Federation and French professional football clubs unanimously agreed to give new impetus to French football by creating a business entity following a strategic partnership with CVC Capital Partners (“CVC”). This project represents an investment of €1.5 billion and reflects the ambition to put France back on the podium in European and world football championships thanks to investments in Ligue 1 brands, infrastructure and content (“L1”) and Ligue 2 (“L2”) availability of all new digital and technical tools A stronger fan experience. Developing strong and successful clubs in European competitions and leading the L1 Championship will be part of a virtuous circle leading to greater retention of talent, performance and charisma for the benefit of fans, clubs and L1 as a whole.
The business entity, which is chaired by LFP President Vincent Labrune and operationally managed by Ben Morrell, reflects L1’s evolution towards a leisure-focused economic model, focused on developing the Ligue 1 brand, supporting clubs in building their franchises and developing content across platforms. This new campaign will also allow the university to strengthen its partnerships with national and international broadcasters, sponsors and other partners. The announcement last October of the strategic partnership with Mon Petit Gazon (“MPG”), a fantasy football game with over 4 million members that capitalized on unprecedented success during the 2022 World Cup with its game Mon Petit Prono (“MPP”), illustrates the strategic shift The foundations of the digital ecosystem that LFP wishes to develop to enrich the fan experience in multiple sectors.
Vincent Labrune, President of the LFP:
“The creation of our commercial entity opens a new page for French football. I am very happy that Ben Morel has joined us. His appointment as CEO of the commercial entity will fully serve our strong ambition to develop French football, a mission we have been supporting for 18 months, with the aim of raising the bar of French football clubs. National Team With 25 years of experience in the Six Nations Rugby Teams and the National Basketball Association, his vast experience will be a great advantage in leading the transformation that we are embarking on with our partner CVC.The recent performance of the France national team, the summer of 2022 for the World Cup, confirms this vision and obliges us to do everything we can to make our league Our professional football is a benchmark in the European scene. »
Ben Morrell, CEO, LFP Business Unit:
“I would like to thank Vincent Labrune and the Supervisory Board for their confidence. They can count on my determination to lead a new and exciting phase of growth in French football. I will work closely with all the clubs and all other stakeholders of La LFP to drive an innovative and high-quality sporting spectacle, putting our global fans in The heart of this new approach.
