Soccer-France's Ligue 1 lands four binding bids for media rights deal - sources

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Paris St Germain - Kylian Mbappe Press Conference - Paris, France - September 6, 2017. New Paris St Germain signing Kylian Mbappe attends a press conference. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo

LONDON (Reuters) - Four buyout funds have made binding bids for a slice of the media rights business of France's top-flight soccer league as the race to support the country's cash-strapped clubs with a vital lifeline enters the final stages, sources told Reuters.

CVC Capital Partners, Silver Lake, Hellman & Friedman and Oaktree Capital have all submitted rival bids ahead of a March 9 deadline, three sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity.