Football in France
Discussion
I have no idea how things are where you live, but here it seems we are soon going to be out of business. Le Mans (Div 2) are seven million in debt, have a fantastic new stadium financed by the city and the regional and departmental councils (so us) at a cost of €100 million and need 12,000 a week to pay their way. Recently there were 1,600 and even last weekend in a local derby (Nantes) there were but 9,000. The management have finally admitted the problem, and despite having been hauled before the DNCG (watchdog) at the end of last season because of financial difficulties lied their way out and continue to play. Now they say they can't shortly pay players and are once more before the DNCG at the end of the month, and this time it seems final.
The mayors, the councils all seem to think that we "deserved" this new big stadium, despite attendances never topping 8,000 on average, and closed their eyes to the problems it would cause. I often, when going back to the UK, pass by the new stadium at Le Havre and apparently they too are deep in the merde. Such is life in France, it seems.
The mayors, the councils all seem to think that we "deserved" this new big stadium, despite attendances never topping 8,000 on average, and closed their eyes to the problems it would cause. I often, when going back to the UK, pass by the new stadium at Le Havre and apparently they too are deep in the merde. Such is life in France, it seems.
It gets worse though. I listened to a discussion on the radio yesterday and apparently Le Havre are in the same boat. The average attendance in the second division is 8,000, yet LMans and Le Havre built new stadiums (stadia?) with a capacity of 25,000, a level that many 1st division clubs never reach. Grenoble, when in the 1st division, built a new stadium, had a budget of 25€ million per annum, went bust and now have a budget (new club formed) of 1.7€ million. The potential debts of Le Mans, when they go bust, are at least €30 million, most of which will fall to the ratepayers of Le Mans (thank god I am not in Le Mans!). Yet still the city pays 100,000€ euros per month to help the club. Neither the regional nor county councils will pay up to save the club, nor Le Mans, so the outcome is sure and certain when they go before the DNCG at the end of the month to prove they have the money to finance a team in the 2nd division, which clearly they haven't, with a current deficit of €7 million and rising. They even adnit that shortly they won't be able to pay players, trainers, staff nor caterers etc.
Gassing Station | France | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff