“You broke an attendance record for a Championship match in 2023 (16,319 spectators) at Paris La Défense Arena. Coming back this time during the week, was it a more complicated challenge for the club?
Yes, it was worth a lot of stress. We had to play on a Saturday because Monaco had to have a Euroleague match on Thursday. But when the Euroleague schedule came out last summer, I was surprised to see that they were finally playing on Friday and away (in Barcelona). But Monaco agreed to move the match forward and I thank them. Everything was sporting this year, until Pascal (Donnadieu, his brother and club coach) who returned this afternoon (Tuesday) from the French team’s match in Bosnia. Before the lunch this midday (Tuesday), we were at 14,678 spectators, I think we will finish above 15,000, which is very good.
Did the experience of the first two matches at the Arena (in 2018 and 2023 against Asvel) help prepare for this return?
We have more autonomy than last year or six years ago. I hope we will be satisfied with the result. We gave ourselves the means to make it the best, in a concert hall which is not made for basketball but which remains an extraordinary hall for a match with a unique gigantism. The cube (giant screen suspended above the floor) was close to my heart. I have been installed everywhere in the room and this will be an asset to the general public experience. This will allow people, even in the cheapest seats, to touch the show and feel like they are in an NBA arena.
You are playing for the third time in six years in this hall. Will this partnership become lasting?
This is the third edition and I would like us to say that we have found the right formula. I have already started discussing with them to find a date in 2025. We know that it is becoming more and more difficult to find slots with the Arena, which has a model focused on big events and concerts. Nanterre may not be the biggest event, but if they have the NBA next year (the North American League could organize two games of San Antonio and Victor Wembanyama there), I think we will be there contributed by showing that we could play basketball here (smile).
Do the current results (5th in the Championship, finalist in the Leaders Cup) also help us to better appreciate this relocation?
It’s even more exciting this season if we look at the sporting field with the 1st (Monaco) against the 5th. Last year, we played the match under great sporting stress, but there were still 16,000 people there. This validates the club’s project, which is first of all to know who we are. I could say ”I’m aiming for the Euroleague in five years. We want to be the Arena’s resident club.” People would say ”Incredible” but that would be false. The club is getting structured, there have never been as many jobs as this year. We must continue to grow. The results this year are beyond our expectations and we have set ourselves the goal of becoming European again. »
