Are the clubs going to hold out economically?
Emmanuel Eschalier.
It will all depend on when the return to normal occurs.
And the support of the public authorities, which is a question of survival.
It is no exaggeration to say that.
Our economic model is in great danger.
It is based on the presence of the public in the stadiums and on the hospitalities, at the heart of most local partnerships.
A fabric linked to the connection around the matches.
60% of club revenues are generated by ticketing and lodge marketing.
All that no longer holds with a partial gauge.
The clubs will be able to assume during the coming weeks, but they will not be able to last long, it is a certainty.
Their equity was severely damaged by the offseason.
Fortunately, the call for solidarity from partners and subscribers has been heard.
But the situation is very fragile.
With revenues still burdened, rugby needs support.
You have asked for help from the government. In what form and until when?
We have requested tax exemptions for clubs from June 2020 to November.
Our request is calibrated on the estimated impact of the partial tonnage over two months, until the end of October.
Or a shortfall estimated between 30 and 35 million euros.
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There will be an economic support system from the State
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Is the government receptive?
As early as May, we alerted the government to this very difficult return to school with substantiated cases.
We have high hopes of being heard, yes.
There will be a state support system.
It remains to know the form.
Beyond what the Top 14 and Pro D2 clubs represent in sport - if they collapse, all of French rugby collapses, with colossal consequences, including for the XV de France three years before the World Cup in France - it is also an economic weight in the territories, a gathering place, a cultural landmark.
It is socially, economically and culturally a very strong stake.
Professional rugby is more than 4000 direct and indirect jobs, more than 1.3 billion euros in economic weight.
It is an actor who counts, who represents a lot in certain cities, certain departments.
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Isn't this crisis an opportunity to accelerate the reduction in the wage bill for a less fragile economy?
Ineluctably, the current situation will raise questions on the evolution of the economic model, on the standard of living of French professional rugby.
But we must not mix everything up.
No business model can resist this situation.
We must not be in a logic of guilt
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Will this lead us to change our economic framework?
Obviously yes.
But that will depend on many factors: the duration of this health crisis, its economic consequences ... We will have to adapt to the situation.
We sent out a strong signal with the gradual and lasting reduction of the Salary Cap.
I also recall that 13 of the 14 clubs in the Top 14 have already temporarily reduced player salaries.
There will be more discussions on the subject in the coming weeks, that's obvious.
But it is true that all this raises questions about the standard of living of French professional rugby.
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It's not about making anyone feel guilty or stigmatize.
There is no such thing as zero risk
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Have the players become aware of the stakes, of their responsibilities?
I hope so.
Because the stake is colossal.
It is not about making anyone feel guilty or stigmatize.
No risk does not exist.
Everyone is aware of this.
But we sounded the alarm at the beginning of August because it seemed to us that the awareness was not high enough.
We brought together all the managers and doctors of the clubs so that the message could be passed with more force to the players on the importance of respecting barrier gestures outside the framework of the club, in their personal life therefore.
I think this message has been integrated.
The situation this summer, with cases everywhere, has been well managed, with the exception of Stade Français, and there has been no increase in the number of cases.
This period made it clear that absolutely everyone was exposed to risk and that an installation of the virus in a club had consequences for the conduct of the championship.
We must highlight the support and role of Provale in raising awareness among players.
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Are you satisfied with the implementation of health protocols in the stadiums?
It will obviously not be easy to manage.
But we are at a time when there is not much that is easy to manage, and not only in our sector.
We are not the only ones to face a context of uncertainties.
But in the difficulty, all the actors within the clubs mobilized to put in place the protocols, down to the smallest detail.
It will be difficult in terms of organization, it is very heavy.
But now, we have to face up to our responsibilities, welcome the public in the best conditions and overcome this complicated course.
There will be a return to normal.
We don't know when but there will be one.
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