Paris (AFP)

The postponement of the Tokyo Olympics to 2021, combined with the inevitable economic slowdown post pandemic, changes the situation for Paris-2024 which will have to adapt, in particular to continue to attract partners, a quest that has become a little more complex.

An era full of unknowns, in any case more chaotic than expected. This is what awaits Paris-2024 in the weeks, even months to come.

"Clearly, this period opens the box to questions," said Virgile Caillet, general delegate of the Sport and Cycle Union, representing companies in the sports sector.

It is still too early to assess the impact of the crisis on the major Olympic construction sites (3 billion euros planned for public and private investment), most of which have not started, with the exception of the Olympic village in Saint -Denis who is only in the preliminary demolition phase.

The question is posed with more acuity for the sponsors, essential to the budget of the organizing committee, the Cojo, since they must bring in between 1 and 1.2 billion euros out of a total forecast of 3.8.

Because there is a recession. And the capacities or inclinations of companies that could join the Games in four years may suffer.

- A white year? -

"Paris-2024 will redouble its efforts as of the past crisis, because the economy will start again, but from there to announce an investment of 80 to 100 million euros to be a partner of an event which will take place in 2024, c "is a bit risky," said Jean-François Lamour, former Minister of Sports.

Cohabitation for a year with the Tokyo Games can also disrupt the lines.

"If the Tokyo Olympics take place in the summer of 2021, will companies still launch a partnership with Paris 2024 in the fall of 2020? Are we starting the great mobilization of the French around Paris Olympics before those of Tokyo take place? There is the risk of a new white year for Paris 2024 ", fears Bruno Bianzina, director general of the communication agency Sport Market.

This year of double olympiad, unprecedented in history, is just as much for the management of the partners of the Olympic Games.

"In my opinion, everyone is looking at what is in the contracts," says Magali Tézénas du Montcel, managing director of Sporsora.

However, many agree that Paris-2024 will worry-free complete its budget sponsors 1.1 billion euros.

"We are still with long-term partnerships, and the crisis we are experiencing is ad hoc. There is enough time between now and 2024 to activate partnerships. I am not very worried. will just have to do things differently, "says Magali Tézénas du Montcel.

"I remain convinced that they will eventually materialize their marketing program (...), but it will be much more chaotic", anticipates Bruno Bianzina.

- Paris-2024 not worried -

At this stage, Paris-2024, which claims to be on time, has signed partnerships with the banking group BPCE, EDF, FDJ and Le Coq sportif. Tony Estanguet, the boss of the Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (Cojo) Paris-2024, is in any case not worried, even detecting in this period some opportunities to seize. "Some sponsors who will join us in the coming year will even benefit from the exposure of the Tokyo Games when, if they had taken place this summer, this would not have been the case," he said. he pointed out to AFP.

However, this sequence could still impact the approach and strategy of Paris-2024.

"We cannot put aside what we are experiencing, and Paris-2024 must seize it," advocates Virgile Caillet. "Paris-2024 has always claimed to make different Games and with what is happening, this can be an opportunity to do so".

The risk undoubtedly rests more on the other future sporting events, of less importance than the Olympic Games, but which also need partnerships.

"It's a bit like the elephant in the porcelain shop. If the elephant moves, it is the porcelain that breaks. If the Olympic Games move, the other events will suffer, not the Olympic Games" , analyzes Philippe Bailly, from the firm NPA Conseil.

© 2020 AFP