Volleyball World Cup: charismatic players, popular enthusiasm, sponsors… the Blues in another dimension

So far, so close. Just three years ago, in September 2019, France co-organized the Euro volleyball on its territory. A first for forty years. A huge risk-taking at the time for a Federation which was then struggling to find a place for itself in the French BHV landscape (acronym for basketball, handball and volleyball) and other tricolor team sports. Prior to the first game, only 26,000 tickets had been sold. Another proof of an alarming situation, the Blues had to wait until the last moment – 24 hours before the start of the competition – to finally flock a sponsor (Betclic) on their previously immaculate jersey. “It’s not normal not to fill the halls, nor not to have a shirt sponsor”, had then railed Earvin Ngapeth, spokesperson for the team.