19th to 28th day, the Amiens club was officially relegated to the second division, with the TFC, as soon as the French championships stopped. According to Bernard Joannin, the president of the ASC, it is a total injustice, his team was only 4 points behind the 18th Nîmes and there were 30 points to play until the end of the season. “There was a real chance to run away.”
Faced with this “biased and unfair” decision, Joannin therefore launched a petition, calling for the LFP to take exceptional action and establish the creation of a Ligue 1 for 22 clubs. This would both ensure the justified and legitimate rise of Lens and Lorient but also save the last two Toulouse and Amiens.
By activating this increase in the championship, we would save economically and sportingly endangered teams and we would ensure sportsmanship. Only, a first division at 22, is it viable and tangible?
Few support this idea
As stated by Laurent Nicollin, president of Montpellier HSC, on the antennas of the chain L’Equipe, “until a few months ago, everyone was fighting for a league 1 to 18 or even 16, congratulated the removal of the Coupe de la Ligue, said it would improve the competitiveness of French football, especially in Europe, by playing fewer games. And now, we would like to add more? “
Because indeed, a league 1 to 22 clubs, it’s 4 additional games per team, it’s 42 days instead of 38 currently, it’s increased sport density, it’s more games spread over time. For sure everyone accepts it.
At the forefront of which is the UNFP, the players’ union, which could take a very dim view of the prospect of playing more games, increasing the risk of injury and fatigue. The union was already worried about an accelerated recovery at the end of the season, with matches every 3 days, a league 1 with 42 days, it is not said that they agree.
Economic cost
But clubs too could be totally opposed to it, for economic reasons this time. TV rights will increase by 400 million euros next year to 1.153 billion euros. And, last March, the LFP’s board of directors decided to share this additional sum in equal shares among all participants.
In other words, with 20 clubs, in addition to its initial endowment calculated on the current 768 million euros in broadcasting rights, each would receive a check for 20 million euros. Whether you finish 1st or last, it will be 20 million euros more for everyone. Except that at 22, the rules change and the check drops to 18 million euros, 2 million less for each participant.
For PSG or Lyon, it’s not much, but for teams like Nîmes, Brest or Angers, it’s almost 10% of their budget.
On this economic point, some will retort that despite everything, a league 1 to 22 would make it possible to organize 2 additional games at home and therefore receive more box office receipts. However, if we follow the decisions of the British government and World Rugby, as long as no vaccine or remedy for the coronavirus is found, all matches in the 2020-2021 season will be held behind closed doors. So no supporters, no spectators, no audience, no box office receipts. But additional organizational costs linked to the two games added.
The losses could therefore be greater than the expected gains of a league 1 to 22. It may therefore be a very bad idea and it should probably not see the light of day.
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