"We give ourselves the right to invent something": Paris Basketball launches a reflection on a women's club

You shouldn't be surprised by anything with Paris Basketball.

The capital club, which carries in its DNA the gene of innovation and a certain revolution, announced on Tuesday, on the sidelines of a press conference concerning its event match at Roland-Garros on October 16 against Monaco , that he was launching a think tank "on the opportunity to create a women's team".

“What is happening to Brittney Griner (

) probably accelerated my thinking on the subject, confides David Kahn, president of Paris Basketball.

For too long, many players, great players, have had no choice (

), after the WNBA season, but to play in countries where they are not safe.

We think it's the right time for us to study how to develop women's basketball in Paris.

We do not yet know what it will be possible to do, or not to do.

Maybe we can come up with a team for the women's championship…”

The project would see the light of day in 2024 and would only be for a limited period of a few weeks.

Either in the form of a mini-league or in the form of exhibition matches.

This would allow American players and the best players in the world to compete in another championship in addition to the one on US soil (WNBA).

These "matches" would be played in the future Adidas Arena located at Porte de la Chapelle (Paris 18th century) and which will come out of the ground at the start of the 2023 school year. An 8,000-seat enclosure.

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While Parisian football, rugby, handball and volleyball clubs, among others, all have representatives in the women's elite, basketball is the only one missing from the map.

For 30 years, and the disappearance of Racing CF in 1992, no female basketball club has been present at the highest national level within the rails of the Paris ring road.

You have to dig all the way to National 1 (the 3rd division) to find the trace of a women's team with Stade Français, promoted to this level.

This protean committee, in the process of being composed but which already includes former internationals Isabelle Fijalkowski, Audrey Sauret, coach Christophe Denis or Brindelle Grandcolas (responsible for diversity and inclusion at Disneyland Paris), will be led by Nathalie Nenon Zimmermann.

A few months after leaving Olympique de Marseille, where she held the position of general manager in charge of marketing, the person concerned does not hide her enthusiasm.

“You have to find the right business model”

“The creation of a committee wanted by the owners of Paris Basketball is a first in the history of sport, assures Nathalie Nenon Zimmermann.

This is the very first time that a sports organization has chosen to work in an open and inclusive way to build a unique event, asking itself the questions of creating an innovative concept that will be exciting for the fans, attractive and respectful for the players and activatable for sponsors and broadcasters.

You have to find the right business model but to move the lines, you have to dare to do things differently, to challenge yourself, that's what Paris Basketball does, which has always had an innovative vision, a desire to do things differently like the game at Roland Garros.

»

This committee has two months to find the right balance, to propose the best project to the owners of Paris Basketball, Éric Schwartz and David Kahn.

“We will work in synergy with the French Basketball Federation and the city of Paris, we will listen to all the actors who want to join us, continues Nathalie Nenon Zimmermann.

You have to find the right format for broadcasters, the right formula to interest the women's basketball community.

We give ourselves the right to invent something very new but which does not disrupt over time.

Women's sport is developing strongly, women's basketball proves it.

»

In the United States, WNBA regular season attendance has notably increased by 19% this season.