INTERVIEW
If certain sports competitions will resume, under constraints, at the end of the confinement period imposed by the coronavirus, others must make a line on the current season. This is the case, for example, of Ligue 1 football and the Top 14 in rugby. Vincent Chaudel, economist and director of the economic observatory of sport, was on Europe 1, Sunday, to discuss the economic consequences of the health crisis on the sports world and in particular on the professional football championship.
>> LIVE - Follow the evolution of the coronavirus epidemic Sunday May 3
"The shutdown of Ligue 1", takes the economist as an example, "generates the loss of a quarter of the revenues for the 2019/2020 financial year". With such a loss, around 400 million euros, clubs are facing cash and financial problems, even if we cannot yet "speak at this stage of bankruptcy".
"The initial situation was not already flourishing"
In addition, foreign championships are also affected by health restrictions and therefore by the resulting loss of profit. Sales and purchases of players across the continent and even across the globe will not go smoothly this year. Consequence: the transfer market, crucial element of the good financial health of a club in addition to the obvious sporting impact of the departure or the arrival of a player in a team, will be completely turned upside down. "Last year, the transfer market represented a surplus of 278 million euros for French football, which despite this had lost 160 million euros," details Vincent Chaudel.
CORONAVIRUS ESSENTIALS
> Partial unemployment: the parents' situation clarified
> A new inflammatory disease affecting children linked to the coronavirus?
> What will shopping be like after May 11?
> The French will have to go on vacation near their home
> Why going to the hairdresser will cost more after confinement
"The initial situation was not already flourishing," analyzes the economist, "but this may worsen because the championships of certain neighboring countries may resume soon". Indeed, the German Interior Minister announced Sunday to assess the possibility of a resumption of Bundesliga matches in May. "The Germans would thus save part of their television rights and part of the marketing, ie around 500 million euros," said Vincent Chaudel. "It would cause a loss of competitiveness for French football."