“Hard”, “complicated”, “difficult”. The adjectives used on Monday December 16 by the president of the Bergerac Périgord Football Club (BPFC) to describe the financial situation of the structure were not positive. After a 2023-2024 season ended with a budget of 1.650 million euros, the club was forced to cut spending by 30% for this new year. The forecast provides for around 1.1 million expenses and revenues for 2024-2025, or around 500,000 euros less.
Ultimately, the result for the 2023-2024 financial year stands at -27,506 euros. It can be explained in particular by the loss of club licenses (35,000 euros) linked to the withdrawal of three points by the financial policeman of the French Football Federation. Equity remains positive at 83,297 euros but the National Management Control Department has called on the club to be “vigilant”.
Revenues down
Eliminated in the first round of the Coupe de France, the BPFC cannot count on the 220,000 euros in revenue that its career allowed it to garner last year. It will also not reach the “dream sum” of 668,000 euros in sponsorship which was collected last season. For the president, as for Christophe Fauvel, the former president who was present, the uncertain political situation makes the context “very difficult” to solicit businesses.
“And the subsidies are torpedoed,” noted Laurent Beaumois. We will have nothing from the Region and nothing from the Department which gave us 25,000 euros last season. » The club hopes to capture 135,000 euros in aid for this year and finds itself “behind” on sponsorship and patronage. He must also face the additional cost of the rise of the U19s in National this year, estimated at 80,000 euros. But also to the transport expenses of the flag team, registered in the South East group. In short, “the patient is sick”, estimated Laurent Beaumois who believes that “Bergerac no longer has the means to be in National 2”.
Towards a limited company?
The BPFC budget, constructed for this season with Paul Fauvel, therefore shows a “drastic” reduction in remuneration. The president envisages a net result of 2,000 euros by 2025. But for the manager, there remains “in the middle of winter reasons to hope”. With ways of saving which would involve the purchase of a bus but also an evolution in form for the BPFC. “For me, the association model has lived on. The project would be to create a professional sports limited company with shareholders, explained Laurent Beaumois. The association would be freed from N2 even if it would retain shares in the company. »
Advanced discussions would have taken place with business leaders more inclined to become shareholders than patrons. But the office’s objective is to raise funds within a “very tight deadline”. “The question is whether we will have time to make this dream come true,” notes the president. We remember that in 2023, Christophe Fauvel brought together a dozen investors ready to participate in the adventure as part of the merger with Trélissac.
In the meantime, Laurent Beaumois is launching a call for volunteers, particularly executives ready to get involved in finance, communication or running the business club.
On a sporting level
Asked about a possible descent to N3, the president replied that he could not imagine the players giving up. “There is a lot of talent on this team,” he stressed. We had a lot of injured or suspended people who we will recover. »
