There are still a few details to settle, a few points to refine, but the agreement seems close. While their lease with Levallois for the occupation of the Marcel-Cerdan sports hall came to an end next June, and they risked finding themselves homeless next season, the Metropolitans 92 should indeed continue to play their matches in this room for another 5 years, as confirmed by Agnès Pottier-Dumas, the mayor of Levallois.
“We are still in negotiations, nothing has been signed, but I understand that Pierre-Christophe Baguet (Editor’s note: the mayor of Boulogne-Billancourt) needs certainties and guarantees over such a period so as not to wonder about the future of his club at the end of each season, explains Agnès Pottier-Dumas. If we find an agreement for a commitment over 5 years but in the meantime Boulogne finds another solution we will not oppose it, we will adapt. »
The situation now seems pacified within the Mets. We are a long way from the heavy context of the end of last season which had caused tensions between the two town halls to the point that that of Boulogne seriously considered leaving the Marcel-Cerdan sports hall, a year before the end of its lease, to install its players in Issy-les-Moulineaux.
“I have nothing against basketball, nothing against this team which is also having an excellent season (Editor’s note: driven by the prodigy Victor Wembanyama, it occupies 2nd place in the Betclic Elite ranking), says Agnès Pottier-Dumas. When Pierre-Christophe Baguet proposed to me, some time ago, that the Metropolitans stay in Levallois, I immediately accepted. The only condition was to be able to combine basketball with our professional volleyball team (feminine) the next seasons. “A team which, as revealed by Leparisien.fr, should unite with that of the Stade Français Paris Saint-Cloud to play the leading roles in its championship.
If the future seems to be brighter for the club, the delicate point of the amount of the rental remains to be settled. According to our information, the cost should increase significantly, from around 50,000 euros per season to around 350,000 euros. “I would not say the amount but it is the cost of the cohabitation of the two professional teams, the overtime hours of our agents on match evenings and weekends and the operation of the room, indicates Agnès Pottier-Dumas. We offer a fair price. We host them, because it is now the Boulogne team (who bought the 5% belonging to Levallois a few months ago), but it shouldn’t cost us money. We are not looking to make a profit from it, but simply not to lose money. The ball is in Boulogne’s court. »
For his part, Pierre-Christophe Baguet had made no secret, during the “Etoles Sportives Boulonnaises” evening at the end of March that he was in contact with three investors to “grow the club”. The mayor of Boulogne would also not have drawn a line under an arena project on its territory. In the meantime, and unless the situation changes, the Mets will remain in their den of Cerdan. A prestigious room which could, according to our information, welcome the United States team before the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.