TFI Television Francaise TF1

By Ruth Bender

PARIS--Discovery Communications Inc. (DISCA, DISCB) and Television Francaise 1 SA (TF1.FR) are in talks over the possibility that the U.S. firm could take control of the French broadcaster's sports network Eurosport group earlier than initially planned.

Discovery--which last year bought a 20% stake in Eurosport for $221.6 million--has a call option to raise its stake in the European sports network to 51% on or after December 21, 2014.

The two group's have begun discussions to "evaluate whether Discovery will exercise its call option prior to the agreed upon date," TF1 said in a statement Wednesday.

However, TF1 said that it wants to keep its 80% stake in Eurosport's French branch until at least December 31, 2014.

Write to Ruth Bender at ruth.bender@wsj.com