This is the event of the week in the Dijon metropolitan area: the derby between Saint-Apollinaire (N3) and the DFCO (L2), Saturday, November 13, 2021, on the occasion of the 7th round of the French Football Cup. The match will be played at Stade Gaston Gérard, the usual lair of the “Reds”, but it is indeed “Saint-Apo” which is considered as the home club, who must organize the meeting. Beyond the sporting issue, the economic interest is also very important for this amateur club. Subjects discussed with Fabien Tainturier, vice-president of the ASC Saint-Appolinaire club, guest of 100% DFCO on Monday, November 8.
An organization hand in hand
“For us it’s a big problem, because we are not used to these events. It’s a lot to think about, we must not forget anything”, confesses Fabien Tainturier. The DFCO will therefore support its partner club. A meeting took place on Monday between the two clubs to define roles.
The DFCO will take care of the ticketing and security, for the implementation of the health protocol in particular, explains the vice-president of the club. Saint-Apo will take care of “Stewardship at the level of referees, lounges, reception of spectators. We will also try to liven up the stadium with green and white panels to show that we are a bit at home anyway”.
“We’re going to give them their cloakroom anyway, we’ll take the visitors’ one”
A single concession: “We’re still going to give them their locker room, we’re going to take the visitors’ one”, laughs Fabien Tainturier. “Fortunately they are there to give us a hand. It’s great!”.
Financially, a big boost
The magic of the Coupe de France is obviously the little one who beats the big one. The amateur who brings down the professional. It is also an economic affair, for small structures mainly managed by volunteers. The Saint-Apollinaire club has an annual budget of 295,000 euros. If the objective of 3000 spectators is reached, with places on average at 6.5 euros, the club would pocket around 20,000 euros. Almost 10% of the annual budget.
“We are not planning for the moment, there are organizational costs, from 8,500 to 10,000 euros, so you have to make a certain number of entries so as not to pay anything”, tempers Fabien Tainturier. For the occasion, the club is happy, and this necessarily generates some costs: “We invested in a greening and in a bus to take us to the stadium. We will sleep at the hotel on Friday, these things are all new, we are not used to it”.
The profits from the ticket office, but also from the refreshment bar, will fall into the Saint-Apo cash registers. Not to mention the endowments obtained in each round of the Coupe de France. 7,500 euros for reaching the 7th round. 15,000 euros more if Saint-Apollinaire beats the DFCO. And another 23,000 euros more if the club passes the 8th round, in Guadeloupe. A financial windfall that will be used for the club’s youth teams, for example to recruit educators – the club now has only one employee. We can only hope for Saint-Apollinaire that the coming long weekend, with the bank holiday, will not have emptied the Dijon metropolis of its football fans!
The ticketing is open
In addition to lending its stadium, the DFCO also makes its online ticket office available to the Saint-Apollinaire club. It has been open since Monday. Seats are 8 euros (full price) or 4 euros (reduced price).
- Saint-Apollinaire – DFCO, to be viewed in full on France Bleu Bourgogne, Saturday 13 November. With an exceptional consultant: Youssef Oulahri, player (suspended) of “Saint-Apo”!