This is a question worth several million euros for French sport: will the 5,000 spectator bar, the ceiling set by the health protocol, be relaxed to fill more sports arenas authorized to see spectators again since 11 July?
This possibility, pushed by the Minister for Sports Roxana Maracineanu and her supervising Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer, must be examined at the next Restricted Defense Council. A meeting scheduled for now on Wednesday, but the date of which is linked to the outcome of European negotiations in Brussels on the outlines of the recovery plan. “We could propose to no longer be on the notion of gauge, but more simply on physical distancing. By ensuring that the spectators cross as little as possible in the flows that exist for these major events, pleaded the former swimmer in an interview with the Parisian. Of course, everything will also depend on the evolution of the health situation. “
But after a weekend marked by the controversy caused by the non-compliance with the sanitary instructions of the PSG ultras during the friendly match against Waasland-Beveren on Friday at the Parc des Princes and the recent reminders to order from the authorities on a release of the population, still difficult to know if the top of the State will follow this path. Which would not in any case come into force immediately since the ministry intends to keep the current standard until “mid-August” and the resumption of Ligue 1 on the weekend of 22-23.
The idea is rather to think in terms of social distancing, which would set a specific gauge at each stage. And would mechanically allow many speakers to cross the 5,000-person mark and ensure more substantial ticket sales.
“We are in the dark”
“Between 60 and 70% of the revenues of our clubs depend on ticketing and agreements with their partners on match days,” underlines Thomas Otton, communications director of the National Rugby League (LNR). Like other players in the world of professional sport, the LNR – which affirms that the financial model of its clubs is not viable in the medium term without a full scale – presented its plan to return the public to the Ministry of Sports. The Professional Football League has transmitted two protocols: one at full gauge, the other with 30-40% of the stadium’s capacity, while respecting physical distancing.
“We are in the dark, we need to be told clearly what we can do, because we need financial visibility and clear information to give to our supporters,” said a leader of Ligue 1.
Racing 92 ready to run with a reduced gauge
Faced with the unknown, the 20 clubs of the footballing elite have adopted sometimes diametrically opposed strategies. At the promoted Lensois, we found “no Covid effect” and passed more than 6,000 subscriptions in less than a week. In Lyon or Saint-Etienne, the campaigns have not yet started. “We are studying several avenues, we whisper to OL. We don’t want to take money from our subscribers without knowing when they will be able to return to the stadium. “
If the protocol pushed by the Ministry of Sports was adopted by the executive, Racing 92 has already set up an organization that will allow it to separate the flows of spectators who come to attend the Top 14 matches of the Ile-de-France club. Wearing a mask will be mandatory in the queues, one in two seats will be occupied and the rows will be shifted by one meter. All in an enclosure that will only be able to accommodate 13,486 spectators out of the 30,000 or so in its rugby configuration. But for now, all this remains at the will of the authorities.
