2023-11-23 19:48:05
Summoned in advance at the invitation of the League (LFP) following two legal actions by the Le Havre club (HAC), the approximately 40 French professional clubs voted this Thursday mainly in favor of the agreement with CVC Capital Partners , as they did in spring 2022.
Since the summer of 2022, the Luxembourg investment fund has contributed 1.5 billion euros to the finances of French pro football, compared to 13%, without time limit, of the revenues of LFP Média, the commercial company newly created by the League to manage future commercial, marketing and TV rights resources for professional football.
The meeting was organized by videoconference, votes were taken by secret ballot, via a computer or mobile phone.
In a press release, the League mentions an LFP-CVC agreement “confirmed by an overwhelming majority”. The press release specifies that the general assembly voted for the creation of the commercial subsidiary of the LFP with 96.76% of votes in favor, the terms of distribution of the contribution of CVC with 97.73% of votes for or even the use of the balance of the CVC contribution (including the reimbursement of the PGE) with 96.56% in favor.
Gathered today in a General Assembly, all professional clubs and football stakeholders have validated by a very large majority the CVC agreement and the distribution of funds provided by them.
Communiqué ???? ⬇https://t.co/lAt6sccwom
— Professional Football League (@LFPfr) November 23, 2023
Furthermore, the modification of the statutes of the League allowing the creation of the commercial subsidiary and that of the statutes securing the distribution of audiovisual rights between Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 were voted with 100% in favor.
However, more abstentions than during the first vote on April 1, 2022 would have been expressed this Thursday. A year and a half ago, only the Toulouse and Nancy clubs abstained.
It is likely that the Le Havre club (HAC), at the origin of this new general assembly, spoke out against the validation of the agreement this Thursday. During the meeting, which was held between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., the legitimacy and details of the agreement with CVC, including the distribution of the money to the clubs, were discussed.
“It was Saint-Roussier,” said a participant, referring to the president of the HAC, Jean-Michel Roussier, as reported The team. It seems that the Le Havre president was not supported by any of his colleagues, with the exception of Pierre Ferracci, the president of Paris FC (Ligue 2).
See you Tuesday before the Paris judicial court
L’Equipe also reports that Roussier was criticized and given a “lesson” in finance by Loïc Féry, the president of FC Lorient.
Laurent Nicollin, the president of the Montpellier club and the Foot Unis union, a close friend of Vincent Labrune, would have put Roussier back in place, specifying that he himself was “the owner of his club and that those who were not should to keep a low profile “. Allusion to Roussier, whose club is owned by American businessman Vincent Volpe.
At the start of the meeting, the investment bankers from Centerview and the Lazard bank, who oversaw the completion of the agreement for the LFP, came to give explanations to the speakers.
Tuesday, November 28, the Paris judicial court is supposed, unless postponed, to examine in summary proceedings the summons filed by the HAC which requests the suspension of the CVC aid system, the last tranche of which must be paid in 2024 to PSG, at OM, OL, Monaco, Lille, Rennes and Nice.
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