While Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque was playing its first match of the 2022/2023 season against Oyonnax in Aguiléra in Pro D2, the subject of the sale of the club is back on the table. The mayor of Biarritz reveals this Thursday in any case to have been contacted by two potential buyers for the BOPB professional club as revealed by France 3 Euskal Herri. Maider Arosteguy confirms to France Bleu Pays Basque that he was first approached by a group of investors “mainly American” last winter, then by a French group.
France Bleu Pays Basque: Who are the buyers who contacted you about Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque?
Maider Arosteguy: Of course, I can’t reveal them, because it’s confidential. I had contacts several months ago already this winter with a big American investor, who has a big sports project and a project to rehabilitate sports infrastructure, in particular the stadium, who told me that he was already in contact with the owners of the BOPB and who wanted to meet me. Then, I did not have any particular contact as for the evolution of the potential repurchase. And very recently, less than a month ago, I was contacted by another potential buyer. This time, a French group, also with a sports project and an investment project in sports infrastructure. Two potential buyers interested in investing at their own expense in our infrastructure.
We would be on covers at what amounts for the first as the second project?
For the American project, I got wind of a sum between 8 and 9 million euros. For the French buyers, no figures have been communicated. For the second proposal, they came to see me out of courtesy and to inform me that contacts were going to be made with the owner, because this group was interested in buying the BOPB. These are very encouraging signs for me because it means that this club of which we had been told for months that there was no buyer and that the current shareholder was the only one capable of saving the club today. today it is false. We have another reality. We have investors who want to come to Biarritz, who are interested in rugby, who are interested in a professional sports project, but also in an investment project in our sports infrastructure.
“Let’s make room for those who want to do and who have the means to do so”
Why talk about it now?
I think there is always a lot of tension. We are not at all in a peaceful climate. There is a lot of hatred, a lot of malicious words towards a lot of people. I think we have to give hope to the supporters who are today in the anguish of losing the club. I think it’s important to be transparent with the supporters and to tell them that there is hope. Don’t think that it’s all over and that if there’s no pitch, if there’s no this, if there’s no that, the club will go down again, no. Today, we have serious people who are able to support us financially. I don’t interfere, they pick me up and they talk to me from the perspective of new entrepreneurs, partners who are in construction and appeasement to build a future together. I welcome it. I have the responsibility to give real and serious prospects for the sustainability of this club which existed before us and which, I am sure, will exist after us. It’s over 100 years of the city’s history.
It is a form of ultimatum to the current leader of the BOPB? Saying, there are solutions, let’s take them?
I do not invite anything, I have no injunction to give. But these signals are positive. There are solutions. Above all, I want everyone to sit around the table to say to themselves, “we are very attached to Biarritz Olympique, as owners, we want to stay and we will find solutions to stay”. But I don’t really have the impression that there is a mad love for the city and for the club. I have the impression that we are in a business of big money. What do we do ? The club is down to Pro D2. We are in the same situation as three years ago, what do we do? I want to look at things differently by saying, let’s give way to those who want to do and who have the means to do so.
Jean-Baptiste Aldigé’s answer
“Let her give names”, answers for his part the president of the management board of Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque, Jean-Baptiste Aldigé. The latter is surprised first of all by the speech of the Biarritz councilor, a few hours before the opening meeting of the Pro D2 championship, finally won by the Red and White against Oyonnax (18-14). He assures that no buyer has contacted the Gave camp, owner of the club. “No serious sale – and I mean serious – does not take place in the newspapers. The slightest mention of a buyer is simply a publicity stunt […] The captain must first want to leave the ship”, adds the leader of the BOPB who ends with: “It’s been a year since the mayor has explained to us that the BO is a private company, and there she comes to interfere in the affairs of the club and would like to decide for us.”