A Landes derby… in the Basque Country. So it’s almost 99% complete. The formalization of the US Dax is expected this weekend or early next week. The match of the 11th day of PRO D2 between the Dacquois and the Montois will be played at the Jean Dauger stadium in Bayonne, Saturday November 16 at 4:30 p.m.
In order to facilitate the movement of supporters, US Dax is currently working on setting uparound ten free buses for subscribers. Negotiations are also underway to charter a train from Dax station.
Create the event and fill the boxes
This relocation to Bayonne has been in preparation for several months, according to our sources. The management of the Dacquois club had proposed the idea to the broadcaster Canal+ and the National Rugby League (LNR) even before the end of last season. The fact that the derby takes place this weekend of November 16, while the TOP 14 is on break, would not be a coincidence. The PRO D2 schedule would have been designed to allow Canal+ to broadcast the match on a Saturday afternoon if the relocation took place.
According to our information, the relocation has two main objectives for the management of US Dax. First of all, it is about create an event by playing the derby in a large stadium, in addition to being broadcast at a favorable time on Canal+ channels. Then, it is also a financial operation for the Dacquois club. According to their forecasts, between the ticket office and the VIP boxes of the stadium (with a capacity of more than 14,000 seats compared to 7,500 at Maurice Boyau), the club could generate up to 400,000 euros. For comparison, around 900 VIP places are sold during a high-stakes meeting at Maurice Boyau. At Jean Dauger, the club hopes to sell 2,100. Finally, the club management remembers that it was necessary to refuse access to many spectators last year, due to lack of space.
Good or bad idea?
This relocation provokes various reactions in Dax. Julien Dubois, the mayor of Dax, is against it and made this known to President Benjamin Gufflet. Contacted, Julien Dubois explains that he is opposed to it for three main reasons. First, according to him, a Landes derby, for the supporters, must be played in the Landes. Secondly, he believes that this relocation harms the local economic fabric, because traders, restaurateurs and cafe owners will not be able to benefit from the influx of supporters. Finally, he finds it regrettable that the city has invested several tens of thousands of euros in the renovation of the Maurice Boyau stadium so that the match of the year does not take place there.
From a sporting point of view, relocations, particularly in the TOP 14, are not always successful. According to our calculations, as a general rule, teams playing at home win around 70% of their matches. This rate drops to around 60% when the team relocates. On this subject, it now remains to know the opinion of the US Dax technical staff. A member of the club’s management, however, assures that players and staff are delighted at the idea of playing in a large stadium.
