Based on a report prepared at its request by Mr

Will French football clubs soon enter stock market "They want first able to adopt classic limited company status that enables public savings", responds, prudent, Philippe Diallo, Director of the Union of professional football clubs. Field political, elected representatives of left and right unanimous always responded "niet". "The subject is delicate, more because of the symbolic load that it carries opinion, to its implementation which is simple," should be the head of the UCPF.

A TNS Sofres sponsorship survey / "Figaro Economie" on September 14, 2004 indicated that only 8 of the French would have the intention to buy shares of football clubs in the hypothesis where they would be traded. In addition, among these 8, the attractiveness of the clubs on the financial market is significantly limited by the fact that it is, in majority, young people and people from the socio-professional categories most popular which would not necessarily have the means to invest in the stock market. In terms of targets, this survey also shows that potential investors in the stock market would opt instead for the clubs they like or which they are supporters, rather than those in good financial health. Thus, the approach is more emotional than economic.

December 14, the European Commission solemnly requested the France to amend the legislation that prevents professional clubs to enter in the stock market, in response to the complaint filed in February 2002 by six clubs of Ligue 1 including Lyon and Marseille.

The request of the Commission was sent in the form of a threatening reasoned opinion of the Court of justice. The deadline expiring on 14 February, the Sports Minister decided to call. "Jean-François Lamour took a middle way, insisting on the fact that the clubs will have to be owners of their sports facilities to appeal to the public savings," commented Philippe Diallo. However, acquisition and the necessary modernisation of facilities will require clubs to seek new resources that may specifically make the appeal to the public savings. "It is the snake that bites its tail."

Currently, three Ligue 1 clubs have an emphyteutic lease for 50 years (Ajaccio, Auxerre, Lens), and others are on lease. And modernization is the sine qua non for completing stages. Nicolas Fernandez de INEUMconsulting said that, for the world 98, the France had invested 600 million euros in these stages including two-thirds to finance the France stage while the Germany, for 2006, spent 1.4 billion. "On a delay," insists - it.

Based on a report prepared at its request by Mr. Jean-Baptiste Guillot, Jean-François Lamour has proposed at the end of a round table bringing together, on 31 January, officials of the professional sport to lift the ban of the IPO "framed manner" under the control of the MFA. In summary, a club which would not be owner of its sports equipment and the situation in France, most of the clubs could issue in the public "obligations" or "equity securities". A club which would be its facilities owner could also issue also "shares". Not sure that Brussels meets of this mini-avancée. "All that in this area we are not going blind, the public appeal to save is made anywhere in Europe for soccer clubs", said Philippe Diallo. With more or less of success. "Of English clubs including are introduced on the stock market in the years 1996-97 while the market was overvalued with including the flight of the TV rights", said Nicolas Fernandez. This stabilized since then. But a question remains: is the leader of a club seeking to win money or just sports results The second hypothesis has led some of them to spend unlimited harvested to overpay football players to pay commissions to agents.

The society Europe Finance and industry would propose to interested clubs a process of direct quote on the open market for an amount less than 2.5 million, avoiding the requirement to obtain a visa on the part of the MFA. Several Presidents of Ligue 1 clubs are interested.