An empty Parc des Princes due to coronavirus on Wednesday 11 March for the crucial Champions League return match against Dortmund would be very bad news for PSG. This would damage sports fairness after the defeat of the first leg (2-1) in a full stadium and would be a heavy blow for its supporters, already little spared on the European scene in recent seasons. But the cost would also be financial.
In the event of a match disputed without an audience, the bill would amount to almost 5 million euros. An estimate advanced by L'Equipe on Wednesday and confirmed by our sources. This, necessarily approximate, means "net", that is to say once taken into account the shortfall in ticketing, boxes and catering, for example, but also the costs to be deducted concerning organization, reception of the public and security.
PSG released from any obligation
This amount is significant, even if it represents less than 1% of the PSG budget, close to 600 million euros. The club would not have taken out insurance (expensive in the matter) for this kind of scenario. PSG's annual revenue from ticketing, subscriptions and boxes amounted to 104 million euros last season. These are the accounting lines that would be affected by a possible closed session imposed by the coronavirus, in measures that would remain to be determined according to the club's commercial policy.
Indeed, unlike those in force for the France team, for example, its general conditions of sale release it from any obligation, for subscribers as for dry places: "The responsibility of PSG can in no case be engaged for the occurrence of events constituting force majeure or due to a third party. The following are in particular excluded from its responsibility: the occurrence of bad weather, strikes, change of regulations, suspension of the pitch, postponement or cancellation of a match, a decision by a competent authority. In the event of a fact referred to above, the PSG will decide, in its sole discretion and without obligation on its part, whether or not to compensate the buyer. "
This possible compensation would be more difficult to materialize for subscribers who rent their seat on a lump sum basis for all competitions, up to the possible semi-finals of the Champions League.
The club is preparing for all hypotheses but always favors the scenario of a match played in a full park. This was what he firmly recalled on Tuesday, when the Sports Ministry raised the possibility of a closed session. “Paris Saint-Germain confirms, at this stage, that the match […] will take place […] under normal conditions, he underlined. PSG recalls that open stadium football matches are not subject to the bans. "
Wednesday did not change the position of the authorities. UEFA, which is discussing with all stakeholders, will agree with the decision of the French authorities. If measures are implemented, they will be implemented under the aegis of the Paris police headquarters, on the recommendation of the national authorities. The Ministry of Sports currently favors a full park, but the ball is in the court of the Ministry of Health.
German supporters refused?
This Wednesday at the end of the day, Professor Jérôme Salomon, Director General of Health, refused to settle the question during his daily update on the progress of the virus. When questioned by us, he maintained a position that has so far allowed meetings in open stadiums to take place: "The doctrine is well known on the fact that we avoid situations of closeness in a confined space moreover 5,000 people. Then there are case-by-case assessments. When you are in an outdoor situation, without promiscuity, the risks are less. It takes proven contact for more than 15 minutes face-to-face, or direct contact within one meter to transmit the virus. The mix of populations from affected areas is taken into account. I have no specific position on this match, but here is the rational analysis that we do each time. A European summit is organized on Friday, we need a common position, because our situation is close to that of Germany (note: 240 cases identified, 285 in France) and Spain. "
PSG Express
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In the context of discussions, an alternative has emerged in recent hours in the Paris environment. It concerns the possibility of a match in the presence of the public mainly from Ile-de-France, but without the movement of German supporters, in order to avoid mixing of populations. A solution that PSG would necessarily see with a much better eye than Borussia Dortmund.