France begins this February 2 to lift health restrictions in a still tense context: the public will be able to return in large numbers to sit at the Marcel-Michelin stadium to support the Top 14 team.
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Like an air of time before. This February 2 marks the end of part of the health restrictions linked to Covid-19 in France. From this Wednesday, wearing a mask is no longer compulsory outdoors and the gauges in places receiving the seated public, such as stadiums, are abandoned.
Since January 3, French clubs have not had the right to welcome more than 2,000 spectators indoors and more than 5,000 outdoors. Now lightened, the protocol allows the marketing of 100% of the seats.
A relief for the clubs already well tested economically last season. The shortfall in recent weeks has still been significant, underlines the president of the Clermont rugby club, theASM Clermont Auvergne. Jean-Michel Guillon estimates the losses at between 300,000 and 400,000 euros per match: “It’s a relief yes, but not yet complete because we have a capacity of 19,000 people and we can only receive a maximum of 15,600 people, because we have standing room. So, we are not yet in a complete opening.“
End of Covid-19 gauges in stadiums: the opinion of the president of ASM Clermont. The report by Fanny Lechevestrier
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Another constraint: the consumption of drinks and food is always prohibited while standing. It will be possible from February 16. It is therefore still necessary to adapt to make the bars live. But the latest restrictions have pushed clubs to reinvent themselves to attract people, underlines Jean-Michel Guillon.
“It forces us to tell ourselves how to bring back new spectators, a more feminine audience, families… All of this leads us to organize, around the match, a certain number of attractions which will enable us tomorrow to improve both the mix in our audience, but also to improve the experience of all our spectators. We hope they come sooner and leave later.“
Clermont, since the start of the crisis, between closed doors and gauges, has lost 15% of its audience. The supporters of Jaunards will therefore be able to return to the Marcel-Michelin stadium with the mask which remains compulsory in the stands and the presentation of a complete vaccination pass.