It’s the resumption of the championship for Dijon basketball players this Friday. The JDA is opposed to the Portel at the Palais des sports in Dijon. For this new season, the club is betting on continuity with some new features. We talk about it with its president.
Thierry Degorce, the first change for this new school year is the logo of the club La JDA Bourgogne Dijon. Why did you decide on this visual change?
Indeed, it had been about fifteen years since it had been modified and adapted. And as part of the development of the various activities that are done around JDA, we found it appropriate to modify this logo. It’s true that it’s been making waves a bit because at first, on social networks, it wasn’t very popular. Everyone expected to have a logo that we find a little in the sports world. And then we thought with our team. More like a corporate world logo. So it was indeed, it was. We definitely need to communicate a little better. But there you go, so we changed the logo, the text too. Because you have seen that now it is the JDA Bourgogne Dijon.
On the sporting level, there is a stability of the workforce. There are a few rookies in both teams, but the JDA haven’t splurged this season.
We’ve had a strategy for a long time, it’s actually to keep a workforce of about 60%. Each time, it’s the framework. Whether for basketball, but also for handball. This year, we wanted to maintain the workforce and we reinforced it with skills so that the teams are stronger since our ambition has not changed. It was presented on Monday evening (September 19) at the Palais des sports. A European ambition therefore. The financial means, of course, we don’t have a lot, but it’s not only that that makes the sporting results. It’s also good coaching and that’s important.
So you are looking to develop the activity? You were talking about goals, so the European Cup for female handball players?
For the basketball players, you should know that for five years, we have therefore finished first, third or fifth. So the goal is indeed to stay between the first and the fifth, which gives us the right to be able to participate in the Champion’s League, in the BCL. So for us, it’s really an important sporting goal. Afterwards, we have an important event which will also take place in the championship. This is the Leaders’ Cup. Since then, you have to know if you remember. But in 2020, we had the chance to come back with the trophy. So it’s still the JDA that holds this trophy, we would like to keep it (the 2021 and 2022 editions have been canceled, editor’s note). And then we have a strong DNA in the club but which is historical, which is also defense. This is the message I sent to all the teams on Monday, whether for basketball, for that matter, or for handball. We are on the same register and the same DNA.
And in terms of energy sobriety, we have heard the controversy over football players who travel a lot by plane. Are these things we think about within the JDA?
The problem, it’s very simple, is that since we don’t have a lot of money, we use the train. So we don’t have a private plane. We don’t know, and I don’t think we will one day.
JDA Basket – Le Portel: Friday September 23 at the Palais des Sports at 8:30 p.m.
Toulon – JDA Handball: Friday September 23 at 8:30 p.m.