La Rochelle-Toulouse, sold out at the Marcel-Deflandre stadium for the 100th championship match in a row

The city's stadium and its 16,700 seats have been full for nine years when it comes to a Top 14 match for the local team, which is the only club in France, all sports combined, to achieve such a statistic. .

The incredible series at Stade Rochelais, in rugby. Saturday January 4, the Maritimes welcome Toulouse in a packed Marcel-Deflandre stadium. This is even the 100th consecutive championship match played behind closed doors. A series started in January 2016.

It's been almost nine years to the day since the Marcel-Deflandre stadium, with its 16,700 seats, was full. The first sellout dates back to January 2, 2016, against Castres. “It shows how loyal our supporters are, for international pillar Uini Atonio who was already there. We are really lucky to see a city that is behind the team. Whether it rains or snows, they are always there. It’s pretty incredible.”

“Among the 13,500 subscribers, you have people who come from Loire-Atlantique, Maine-et-Loire, Poitou-Charente.”

Jean-Michel Blaizeau, historian and supporter of Stade Rochelais

at franceinfo

Above all, this is unprecedented: Stade Rochelais is the only club in France, all sports combined, to achieve such a statistic. The club has been able to retain its supporters in an area that goes well beyond that of the city, underlines Jean-Michel Blaizeau, from La Rochelle, sports historian and author of several books on La Rochelle: “There is no high-level sport other than rugby in our region. This advantage of being, we are not going to say a desert of high-level sport, but of being the anchor point of this territorial space, it is part of the life of the city and everyone participates from the youngest to the oldest.”

The stadium audience is very family-friendly, almost like a sesame that is passed down from generation to generation. “I have been there since 1955 with my grandfather, in my grandfather's hands, I was seven years oldremembers Jean-Michel Blaizeau. But yes, all the people come there as a family and everyone is dressed in the club colors. You have a list of 2 000 to 2500 potential subscribers who are waiting for people to transfer professionally or get older and can no longer go to the stadium to gain a little corner of paradise.”

Many are calling for the stadium to be expanded. Discussions are underway to increase to 18,000 spectators, on the condition for many Rochelais that the venue remains in the heart of the city and not on the outskirts.