The world of football gives for many unimaginable stories. In Spain, a couple of years ago, Girona FC achieved a historical deed by qualifying for the Champions League following a season where he rubbed shoulders with the greatest. It is not that he did it with a minimum budget, because he holds the support of the City Group, an Arab investment fund. But his way of doing it for a small team and his story remembers others. For example, that of Stade Brestois, a great among French football that went through the same tour in that same season. Although there are also stories such as AC Ajaccio, a historic France club that has been put on sale for a price of 1 euro.
We talked about Ajaccio as a soccer club that played until last season in the Second Division of France, originally from Corsica. And now, due to the important financial problems – as many others in the neighboring country – it has been put on sale.
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In fact, even to maintain permanence in the second most important league in France, he rejected his participation for not being able to assume the cost of his participation, so he was relegated to play in the third division.
AC AJACCIO seeks new owners to take care of the club’s financial situation for 1 euro … including a debt of more than 8 million euros
Even Ajaccio did not make any movement to reject the judgment of the National Sports Coordination Council (DNCG), which sends the third step of French football, the National 1. The agency did not seem to give importance to the bank guarantee of 15 million and to the deposit of 2.5 million euros presented by the club.
It is for this reason that the current owners look for new owners who take care of their situation before reaching bankruptcy and the disappearance: both of the club, as well as the facilities, the files of their players and that of the rest of the employees who work in the institution. They do it to those who buy everything for 1 euro.
However, this symbolic offer is accompanied by a debt of just over 8 million euros … although this is something that does not appear in any offer made by the entity so far. Or what is the same; Who can assume this deficit of 8 million euros and add 1 euro, may appropriate what is one of the most legendary clubs in French football.
Relegated to Third Division, they need to find investors and present a viable budget
The club, founded in 1910, has played in the French First Division for 14 years, but currently faces unassumable financial difficulties. An American investor, Glenn Straub, has shown interest in acquiring the club. Arnau Baqué, Barcelona lawyer who is also president of Espanyol of the Spanish League also did the same. Although last July turned back to the operation.
If the club fails to stabilize, the descent to regional divisions could be devastating, affecting not only its competitiveness, but also its legacy in French football. The future of Ajaccio will depend on its ability to present a viable budget and find investors.
The financial crisis in French football: of administrative declines to the disappearance
Of course, the ajaccio crisis is not an isolated case, but its impact is significant due to its history. And, such as that of the Corsica team, there are several cases that have sprouted in the Gallic country, where many large clubs have reached bankruptcy, descended to minor leagues because they do not have sufficient financial guarantees or even the disappearance.
The crisis is so serious that the supervisory authorities have recommended to clubs to schedule a budget for the next season without having audiovisual income, which are crucial for many, if not the majority.
Income losses – and, therefore, of means for clubs to retain or file level players – vary depending on the size and shareholders of each entity. “Less the PSG (which has the financing of Qatar), the smaller the club, the more dependent it is on television rights,” warns Pierre Maestro, author of the book ‘The Ruina of French football: from the fall of Mediapro to the third European division. Who is to blame? ‘
This crisis has already been carried forward to others such as the Bordeaux Girondins, which abandoned professional football for this reason, or Lyon’s Olympique, which also faces millionaire debts. They are also at risk of disappearing Montpellier, Le Havre and Angers, whose income is mostly subject to televisions.