We imagine that this 100e sold out match is a source of pride for the club.
Indeed, we are very proud of that. With, however, a necessary element of humility. All this is part of a more global dynamic of a Top 14 which is more and more attractive, with large crowds in all the stadiums, important work which is being done by the League [nationale de rugby, NDLR] and by the clubs in order to make the competition attractive through the game, through the quality of the teams and through its suspense. The other point of modesty is that in La Rochelle we have a rather special situation since there is, in our area, only one other professional club in the first division, Stade Rochelais Basket. It makes this enthusiasm easier.
Sports performance is no stranger to this…
It is necessary. The series started in 2016, after Patrice Collazo, the manager, took the team to the Top 14 [en 2014, NDLR] and maintained it. Then Ronan O’Gara brought two European championship titles. It is all the work of the staff and players that makes Stade Rochelais competitive and regular, even if there have been a few accidents recently. We can also emphasize that the president and the shareholders are in a collective project. It is truly the club of a territory which belongs to its public.
Expand the stadium
How does the club intend to continue this series?
We must make the spectacle attractive by investing regularly in the development of the stadium, its capacity and the comfort of the supporters. It gives a form of pressure because, when we reach 100, we don’t want it to stop! There is also the challenge for us of continuing to constantly reinvent ourselves so that the dynamic does not crumble. The club’s purpose is to generate and share great collective emotions with its audience and its partners. We’re not just here to win rugby matches. We are vigilant both to continue to ensure that each match remains a spectacle in its own right, to not fall into routine, and the need to perform well in sport, so that the public always wants to recognize themselves and to support his team.
Do you plan to further expand the reception capacity?
For almost a decade, the club has made new investments in its infrastructure every year. This is something that is very important to us and that we want to continue. There is nothing official yet, but we are finalizing discussions to continue to expand and develop the Marcel-Deflandre stadium (1). We will communicate on this soon, but it is indeed a challenge to be able to welcome a little more public.
(1) Last December, the club announced the creation of 1,200 additional seats (i.e. a capacity increased to 17,900 seats) via the closure of two quarter turns of the stadium as part of a 2025-2030 project, as well as as the development of a new forecourt.
