Paris (AFP)
The recent takeovers of French clubs by foreign investors, such as the American fund RedBird on Monday in Toulouse, act in trompe-l'oeil: three-quarters of L1 clubs remain in the hands of French owners. Portrait of these "made in France" patterns.
- History of families -
. Montpellier, from father to son
The Hérault club is 100% owned by the Nicollin holding company, named after the emblematic ex-president Louis Nicollin. "Loulou" had built his fortune by developing his father's business, specializing in cleaning, collecting and reprocessing waste. This earthy character created the "Paillade" in 1974, leading it from amateur level to the title of champion of France in 2012. When he died in 2017, his son Laurent took up the torch.
. Rennes and the Pinault dynasty
Since 1998, Stade Rennes has been owned by François Pinault and his family, whose luxury empire is valued at 32 billion euros, according to the weekly Challenges. The goal was to "give back to Brittany what it has given us", according to son François-Henri Pinault, current president of the club.
. Brest, on behalf of the brothers
In Brest, 95% of the club is owned by Holdisports, represented by Denis and Gérard Le Saint. The first took the presidency in 2016. His company specializes in the fruit and vegetable distribution sector and in the food industry in general.
- Regional roots -
. Reims in Asterix mode
Jean-Pierre Caillot has chaired SA Stade de Reims since 2004, in which he is the main co-shareholder with Didier Perrin. In addition, there are the Thiénot and Taittinger families (champagne houses), up to 8-9%. "I like this + Asterix + side which continues with its values and its local shareholders. It does not block our development", relishes the boss of Transports Caillot, a company founded in 1964 by his father.
. Strasbourg, the love of the jersey
Racing is owned by a dozen shareholders led by Marc Keller, ex-player from Strasbourg who became president in 2012, when the club was vegetating in the lower divisions. Discreet but influential, this young leader (52) is a member of the Federation's Executive Committee (FFF).
. Lorient, Féry on the bridge
The companies making up the FCL belong to the patrimonial holding company of Loïc Féry, the club owner since 2009, who made his fortune in asset management.
. Serin like Metz
Lorrain Bernard Serin (69) has been a majority shareholder since 2008 after having bought part of the shares of the emblematic former president Carlo Molinari, now vice-president. Patron of Cockerill Maintenance Ingénierie, an industrial group based in Belgium, he was on the executive committee of the main sponsor in 1998, Usinor-Sollac.
. Dijon on the right track
Olivier Delcourt, President of the DFCO, is the head of the Dijonnaise de Routes Ferrées (DVF), a railway works operator. He was a sponsor of the club when it was founded in 1998, before becoming president in 2012.
- Arrived (almost) by chance -
. Angers, bubbles and cold meats
"It was during a discussion around a table, at the 4th glass of champagne. Usually, from the 4th, you let yourself go a bit": this is how Saïd Chabane recounts his entry into the capital of Angers, in 2011. The son of a lawyer of Kabyle origin, Chabane arrived at 23 in France, where he created the Cosnelle company, specializing in cold meats and cured meats.
. Nantes, Kita's second chance
Waldemar Kita acquired FC Nantes in 2007 after an unfortunate experience at the head of FC Lausanne. This son of a Polish colonel who arrived in Grenoble at the age of 15 heads the Vivacy laboratories (aesthetics, ophthalmology, rheumatology, "intimate medicine") and its some 200 employees.
. Nîmes, free like Assaf
Inventor of the Freebox, the Franco-Lebanese Rani Assaf bought the Gard club in 2015 to prevent it from defaulting on payment. Little media character, often elusive, the number 2 of Free maintains a cold relationship with the ultras Nîmes: "I have 80% of the club, I do what I want", he decided recently.
- Lyon, separate case -
. Lyon, Aulas' baby
Co-founder of Cegid, Lyon publisher of accounting software, Jean-Michel Aulas transformed a dying club, upon his arrival in 1987, into a stronghold of French football. The only French club introduced on the stock market, Olympique Lyonnais belongs to the OL Groupe holding company, in which the Aulas family remains the main shareholder ahead of the Chinese company IDG and the Pathé cinemas.
. Saint-Etienne, funny duo
Among the Greens, it's a colorful team that has been in charge since the early 2000s, with Roland Romeyer, an industrialist from Saint-Etienne, and Bernard Caïazzo, ex-entrepreneur in telemarketing ("call center").
© 2020 AFP