Champagne Basket envisages its future on three pillars: the men’s team, the women’s team and a new generation room whose name – not yet definitively decided – will be “The circle“.
After its relegation, the men’s team will evolve next season in Pro B, the second French division. Despite this descent, the president of the men’s section, Michel Gobillot, assures him: “The club’s budget will not change as local authorities renew their subsidies.”
On the sporting side, as long as the club evolves in Pro B, the supporters will always alternate between Châlons-en-Champagne and Reims to attend the matches. The objective is to back to the first division within three years. From then on, all home matches will be played at the Arena de Reims. The goal will then be to play the TOP10 of the Betclic Elite. In the meantime, Michel Gobillot promises at least two games at the Arena next season plus two more as a bonus in the event of a play-off.
For its part, the women’s team, as long as it evolves in Ligue 2, will continue to play on the floor of the René Thys complex in Reims. But, in the event of a climb, the basketball players will head towards Châlons-en-Champagne. Philippe Sauret, the president of the women’s Champagne Basket even has great ambitions there: “We want to play Europe at Coubertin within 5 years.” According to him, women’s basketball is an average city sport and therefore Châlons-en-Champagne ticks all the boxes.
“Le Cercle”: a new room open for 2024-2025
These ambitious sporting objectives will have to be accompanied by a new infrastructure driven by the club’s general manager, Grégoire Lefebvre. Champagne Basket wishes build a room around Châlons-en-Champagne which will bear the name “Le Cercle”.
The Marnais are working on a opening for 2024-2025“if it’s 2026, that’s fine too“says Grégoire Lefebvre. And the general manager can already see himself there:”In my head, there will be a central ground, which will be a modular room that can accommodate concerts or different shows. On its right, there will be technical equipment to accommodate our professional and youth teams. People will also stroll between a music studio, local product stores and partner businesses of the club. It will be a kind of third place. The sports chapels with the four walls, it’s over. We have to mix people, culture, sport… We want to create a basketball franchise in the area.”
For this global project, the three leaders repeated that “the three pillars are equally important. All must work for this project to be realized.”