Paris (AFP)

While football resumes in several countries in empty stadiums, the closed door is not an option for basketball, hand and French volleyball because of an economic model which is entirely based on the presence of spectators in the halls .

TV rights being weak in these sports - 4 to 5% of revenues in basketball and handball, nothing at all for volleyball - the money comes all directly or indirectly from the public.

"Our main sources of funding are annual subscriptions, box office receipts, private partners and the hospitality that goes with them (these are customers invited by companies to meetings and receptions or dinner after -match, editor's note), as well as communities ", explains Christophe Le Bouille, president of Le Mans Sarthe Basket, champion of France in 2018.

"If we play behind closed doors, more spectators and more private partners! We could only function with the revenues of the local communities. And still! I would be curious to see their position the day when I announce them that their money is used to pay players to play in an empty room, "he adds.

- Ready to delay the recovery -

In handball, ticketing and private partnerships represent "40 to 60% of revenue," says David Tebib, president of Nîmes (USAM) and of the Union of Professional Clubs. "And the institutional partners also need visibility. If we play behind closed doors, we end up with 30% of revenues, which is impossible."

TV rights are only an additional, important but not sufficient. Their main interest is also to attract sponsors. "With the broadcaster BeinSports, we have an exhibition partnership. Having full rooms, the public, atmospheres, gives a virtuous image and makes it possible to recover private partnerships", explains the leader of the USAM.

Volleyball had to learn to do without TV altogether, for lack of a broadcaster. "We are the exact opposite of football, the economic model of which is built on television rights and where having spectators or not does not change much in the operating account. Our model is built on hospitality and the tickets sold to our + socios + ", underlines Yves Bouget, the president of Tours, the champion club of France.

These three sports have therefore given up on the end of the 2019-2020 season and set the start of the next one in September (basketball on the 15th, hand on the 23rd) and mid-October (volleyball). But, in the event of sanitary necessity, the leaders are ready to postpone the resumption so that it is done in conditions close to the pre-coronavirus rather than to play without supporters.

- "A deadly poison" -

"What we can never do is play in halls at 20, 30 or 40% of their capacity. It would be a deadly poison that would kill all of the clubs. Unless the local authorities take over from the sponsors for an indefinite period, "said Yves Bouget.

Clubs know that health measures will have to be applied. According to David Tebib, handball is "a very good student when it comes to managing the flow of people". "The French often arrive at the last moment and the influx of people is very important. We can organize to bring them earlier, by levels of stands, by different entrances so that there are the least crowds and provide them with gel in every corner of every room. "

The possible extent of these adaptations nevertheless gives rise to concern. "If private partners cannot continue the evening in our reception lounges where we offer conviviality and proximity. If we have too many health constraints - which I do not judge the relevance elsewhere - if I have to put plexiglass panes on partner tables, masks and traffic flows to be respected, obviously they will not come any more, "fears Christophe Le Bouille.

© 2020 AFP