Clubs in a still bloodless financial situation.
The National Rugby League (LNR) "is appealing again to the public authorities" to financially help the clubs, affected by the consequences of the health crisis, said Wednesday the president of the LNR Paul Goze, at the time of a videoconference press conference.
The state had pledged to allocate 40 million euros in aid to French professional rugby to compensate for part of the losses in terms of ticketing, linked to the closed session imposed in the stadiums since the end of October.
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"These sums have started to be touched by the clubs for a few days", explained Paul Goze.
“But we are once again faced with the issue of closed doors from January 1.
Initially, (financial aid) had been processed until December 31 because we imagined that the virus might be less virulent and that perhaps we could resume matches with the public.
It is not ”, explained Paul Goze.
“The clubs are in pain.
The sum allocated by the public authorities constitutes a balloon of oxygen for the clubs which allows them to regenerate.
But we are in extremely difficult times and we are appealing to the public authorities again for the second part of the season because it is almost certain now that we will play behind closed doors until the end of the matches. of the qualifying phase (end of May) ”, continued the president of the LNR.
Stadium revenues represent "60 to 70%" of club resources
The closed door has an "extremely important" impact on clubs since match-day income, with ticketing and hospitality in particular, represents "60 to 70%" of their resources, recalled Paul Goze.
“We cannot give figures to date on the estimated amount of the impact on income because we do not yet know the duration of the closed session even if we can anticipate the fact that it will last for more than several weeks or even several months ”, for his part clarified Emmanuel Eschalier, general manager of the League.
The DNACG (National Directorate of Assistance and Management Control) is currently examining the consequences on the budget of clubs, he said.
"Accompanying measures will be taken so that a certain number of rules which governed our sport are amended for the next seasons", added Paul Goze without further clarification.
These declarations come the day after the Top 14 TV rights were awarded to Canal + for the period 2023-2027 against a total amount of 113.6 million euros per season.
This is an "increase of 17% compared to the current amount of rights", welcomed in a statement the governing body, which had set the reserve price at 105 million euros per season for three prizes involved.
(With AFP)
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