“Canal + has the greatest contempt for rugby supporters. Gilles Balsan does not take offense. The head of Generation Yves-du-Manoir, a group of Racing 92 supporters, deplores the multiplex programming for the last day of the Top 14 at 9:05 p.m. this Saturday. He is not the only one. Other supporters’ associations, but also, less head-on, some members of the Top 14 teams, denounced this decision of Canal + and the National Rugby League (LNR).
This 26th and last day of the Top 14 full of suspense, with six out of seven games decisive for qualification in the finals or relegation, will indeed take place without an audience in the stadiums, while a tonnage of 1000 people is theoretically allowed since May 19 for outdoor events. Problem: As matches are beyond the 9pm curfew, no audiences are allowed and matches will therefore be played behind closed doors.
“Bringing the games forward to 7 pm would have made 1000 happy,” Gilles Balsan laments. But Canal + has nothing to do with the public in the stadiums, they prefer to put on the sounds of false supporters… ”Racing 92 receives Brive for this last day, but La Défense Arena will therefore ring hollow. The manager of the club, Laurent Travers, preferred “not to argue over decisions taken by others, which are not our responsibility, and to concentrate on the preparation of the match”.
“Give rugby back to the supporters”
This was not the case for Pierre-Henry Broncan, manager of Castres, who played at home his qualification against Toulon, a direct rival. “It’s still lamentable on the part of the institutions to organize this last day at 9 p.m., because the supporters have spent a crappy year, and they are not allowed to come to a last meeting at home, which is more capital city. It’s a shame, ”he told Actu.fr.
Three associations of Aviron Bayonnais fans, which will play its home game against Stade Français, have also issued a vitriolic press release: “At a time when France is resuming its rhythm, the National Rugby League and Canal + have decided that our rugby supporters should stay at home. (…) As you will have understood, the curfew is still in effect, we will play behind closed doors even though the government is giving us the possibility of returning to the stadiums. (…) You do not deserve our respect! Make us popular rugby, return rugby to the supporters. “
Canal + inflexible
The decision is all the harder to swallow as, last weekend and the previous one, several stadiums were able to welcome the public again, for meetings taking place during the day. The semi-finals of ProD2, the last match of Racing in Agen or the victory of La Rochelle against Pau, among others, allowed to taste again the atmospheres in the stadiums … and to realize that, even only 1000 spectators , that makes noise.
The LNR, for its part, ensures that it has considered everything to welcome the public. It is also continuing its work with the authorities to allow the finals matches to welcome at least 5,000 spectators. According to our information, proposals have indeed been made to Canal + to advance the schedule of this multiplex. But it seems that the encrypted channel, which largely finances the Top 14 via TV rights (97 million euros per season, then 113 million from 2023), preferred to maintain this schedule on a Saturday evening at 9 p.m., pledge of ‘a better audience than 6 pm… To the detriment of the public in the stadiums.
