What will be the MSB match times during the upcoming season? It is even asked directly to supporters by the Sarthe basketball club. The latter is currently organizing a survey. An email was sent to subscribers and occasional spectators asking them to give their opinion on the ideal schedule for Saturday matches during the coming season.
Last year, the question of schedules raised heated debates within clubs and provoked criticism from certain supporters. At the time, Skweek, the new broadcaster retained by the LNB, had ended the traditional match at 8 p.m. on Saturdays and imposed matches at 4 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. depending on the day. These changes were poorly received by supporters and traders at Le Mans who preferred that the matches take place in the evening and not in the afternoon. But the Skweek experience fizzled out (the platform did not honor its invoices to the TV Team which produced the broadcasts) and the league found itself without a TV broadcaster for the Elite championship. In this context, the MSB could therefore regain control of its match schedules.
Six schedules offered
Le Mans Sarthe Basket offers as “preferred time“6:30 p.m., 7 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m., 8:30 p.m. or 9 p.m. But this consultation”has no value at the moment” specifies Christophe Le Bouille, president of the MSB. “It’s just for us. If we are given the choice and full choice, we will rely on the results.” In the meantime, matches at 6:30 p.m., which were highly criticized last summer, are no longer rejected. “We all realized that this made it possible to attract a new audience, a little younger and more family-friendly. People realized that they could come see the match and then have their evening“.
No TV broadcaster next season?
The MSB wants to satisfy its audience. But this will obviously depend on the future TV broadcaster. This question is also a priority. Like his counterparts, the president of the MSB cannot imagine that the French elite basketball championship is no longer televised. “We will have to find a solution so that all our matches are visible. I don’t see how we can continue with Skweek given the financial problems. So will we have a broadcaster, will it be internal? I don’t know. It’s up to the league to find a solution“.
Julien JEAN
