Is the unprecedented broadcast on BeIN Sports an unexpected showcase for amateur clubs?
We were a little confused to discover the existence of Olympic Oats Chinon Cinais (AOCC) this week. And yes, who says epiphany that the Coupe de France is back. But this season, the revolution is almost as crazy as the World Cup, which stopped at the end of autumn: BeIN Sports will broadcast 31 of the 32 posters over the weekend, and therefore not only professional clubs. 100% Ligue 1 clashes programmed on Eurosport and France 2/France 3 (which will only offer the Hyères-OM match on Saturday at 15:30) and more banal posters completed the classic layout of this competition, which is used to seeing the invitation. France 3 Regions or simply outside of television.
However, the secretary-general of the famous AOCC, located between Angers and Tours and the current leader of the National 3 group, is not jumping to the ceiling ahead of the meeting with Vierzon FC (N2) on Sunday (18:00) on BeIN Sports Max 10. “Other than the challenge, it doesn’t bring us much, so spontaneously drop Alain Retail. We are being asked to provide a gondola for the BeIN Sports cameras, although we are a small club made up of volunteers only. The sponsor will eventually lend it to us, but we had to make multiple phone calls for a month to meet the broadcaster’s needs. Now we have to go through the 50 page protocol from FFF. »
“It is a source of pride and a great reward”
But the leader is still aware of the “beautiful image” that gives the club a broadcast on BeIN and will therefore be at the Marseille-Vignaud stadium in Avoine (Indre-et-Loire). Even if there are no journalists/consultants on site, most of these 32 finals will be commented in a booth at the chain’s headquarters. On the other hand, for a device that BeIN Sports journalist Laurent Bidot recognized as “very simple”, these amateur pitches will have two cameras. “I sincerely believe that the first round of the 32nd round of the French Cup in our club’s history would not have been broadcast without this new agreement with BeIN,” said Alain Retail, who does not believe this BeIN showcase will be live and online. being full can have a negative impact on the ticket sales of the stadium, where 1,500 spectators are expected.
Jérôme Valeyre, president of FC Chamalières (Puy-de-Dôme) who challenges Bourges for the meeting between the 2 National clubs, moved to the field next to Clermont Foot on Sunday (3:30 p.m.), enjoys this new broadcast: “So honored to be BeIN in Sports [Max 7], it surprised us and could be very interesting for our partners.” FC Chamalières, one of N2’s smallest budgets, could inherit PSG at the end of the French Cup round of 32 draw with a ball. Even without the ultra-mediocrity of the match of a lifetime against the Paris sofa, the Auvergne club will have to prepare to go to BeIN Sports.
We are used to seeing the Champions League, the World Cup or Real-Barça on BeIN and certainly not us, – smiles Kévin Pradier, head coach of FC Chamalières. This is a source of pride and great reward for all our volunteers. Broadcasting on such a prestigious channel will only strengthen the positive pressure for Sunday. I thought we were going to attend the multiplex, not anymore. This rebroadcast is completely extraordinary, even if it will be necessary to try to hide this context as much as possible. »
“A great first in my life”
With the exception of Clermont, Dijon and former professional defender Nancy Jordan Lotiès (38), the entire workforce of FC Chamalières will have to digest this unprecedented media context as much as possible. This is what awaits the captain of Avoine Olympique Chinon Cinais, Vincent Luve. Off the pitch, the 27-year-old centre-back, who is also a temporary worker in the early childhood world, smiles: “It will be a great first in my life to have my match on TV. We will definitely feel a little special pressure when we see the fixtures for TV on Sunday. But it is a big step forward for amateur football. And then, he can definitely offer our young players great visibility, why not be seen by higher level clubs.”
Stade Plabennécois (N3) and Vannes OC (N2) players may feel aggrieved as they will be the only channel to be broadcast on the BeIN Sports website and not on TV, as seven channels have been mobilized simultaneously during the multiplex. Saturday (6 p.m.). Michel Pommelec, president of Plabennec, assures: “But this does not disappoint me, because I thought that our match would be drowned in a multiplex and, of course, even if it was on the Internet, absolutely not. On the contrary, it may make some of our supporters brave to come to the stadium. [capacité de 2.700 places], because they won’t be able to see us on TV. “How about this big step into the fan world for BeIN Sports to finally get the TV rights for the Coupe de France from the FFF until 2026?
“I’m going fishing for information”
Laurent Bidot, who will comment on Stade Pontivyen (N3)-Vendée, “Having new rights is always very good news, especially when France makes it possible to register more by going to its base after Ligue 2” Les Herbiers (N2), Sunday (18:00) on BeIN Sports Max 9, from the channel’s headquarters. Moreover, even if we are talking about the finalist of the 2018 edition of the event, does such a poster without a League 1 club require special preparation for each journalist, then he will not be accompanied by a consultant?
“I take it as a new challenge, explains Laurent Bidot. Yes, I go fishing for information by calling clubs, especially pronouncing the names of these players we don’t know. “The main difference between these clashes between the N2-N3 clubs and Real-Barca: therefore this weekend there will be only two cameras in each stadium, for the Clasico there will be around twenty cameras. Or for our possible summit meeting between Avoine Olympique Chinon Cinais and FC Chamalières, during the final at the Stade de France on April 29.
