What a year, what a season for high-level sport in Loire-Atlantique! French Cup for the volleyball players of the Neptunes of Nantes and for the handball players of HBC Nantes, the volleyball players of Saint-Nazaire volleyball Atlantique (SNVBA) champions of France… ” A box “, rejoices Louise Pahun, the vice-president of the Loire-Atlantique department, in charge of sports, a community which financially helps these clubs. “We have a historic partnership with all the teams (1) high level of Loire-Atlantique”, specifies the elected official.
€60,000 on average for the “big guys”
Subsidies differ depending on the status. “There are high-level professional clubs and high-level amateur clubs,” explains Louise Pahun. In the first category, that of professional teams, the Loire-Atlantique department supports seven clubs: Nantes basket ermine, HBC Nantes, Neptunes handball, Neptunes volleyball, SNVBA, Nantes Rezé Métropole Volley and Union Cycliste Nantaise Atlantique. “We support these seven clubs with an average of €60,000 per year,” reveals the vice-president. As for the second category, that of amateur clubs, “the grants are between €2,000 and €28,000”.
Rewards
But how are the allocations of these subsidies arbitrated? Without going into details, Louise Pahun indicates that the Department mainly takes into account “the level at which training evolves”.
In return for these subsidies, “we ask clubs to carry out missions of general interest, continues the vice-president of the Department. Exchanges and meetings with college students, training relocated to rural areas, places offered for socially vulnerable audiences or people with disabilities… When we see the atmosphere at the H Arena, in Pierre- de-Coubertin, Mangin or La Trocardière, this allows you to experience wonderful moments of pleasure and social cohesion. »
(1) All, except FC Nantes, which has not received subsidies from the Department for more than ten years.
