Basketball: A men's team from Montpellier returning to the professional world, is this possible ?

Les joueurs de Montpellier se prennent au jeu MBM – MBM

Author of a great season in Nationale 2, Montpellier Basket Mosson begins to dream of a happy ending. But does the Montpellier club really have the means to move up to Nationale 1 ? Elements of response.

Tied second in its group in Nationale 2 (fourth division), with 9 victories in 14 matches, Montpellier Basket Mosson is on a series of six consecutive victories. Enough to start dreaming of a rise to Nationale 1 even if the road is still long with 12 regular season matches on the calendar: "We live this moment with serenity, there is no There is no particular pressure, we are ahead of our maintenance objective, explains Gabriel Pantel-Jouve, the club's sports director. Players tend to look upwards, it's natural."

Altrad joins the dance

The leaders prefer to have their eyes fixed on the finances so as not to put the institution in danger. With a budget of 215,000 euros this season, the club of president Khaled Baki is far from the mark if it plans to exist at the higher level: "A rise in the current state of things, this is not the case. rsquo;is not possible, confirms Pantel-Jouve. There is a huge step to take between N2 and N1 where we would play 26 matches, on Friday evening, everywhere in France. When traveling, you have to leave the day before the matches, which requires having 100% professional players and a higher logistical cost (travel, hotel, medical follow-up…). The smallest budget in N1 is 700,000 euros, the average budget is around 1 million euros"

So Montpellier Basket Mosson has set a date of 2026 to build a budget that will allow it to be in a position to access the next level. "On this subject, President Baki is proactive. For the moment, the communities are helping us with more than 20,000 euros. The Nicollin Group will increase its subsidy to 60,000 euros in the event of continuation. We are in discussions with the company Véolia. Some help us on other aspects like GRDF… On the good news side, there is this agreement in principle with the Altrad Group."

"We have good hope of being joined in the adventure"

And since good news never comes alone, there is also the possibility that the Montpellier players will seek to climb to N1 on the field: "If the good series continued, we would try to explore the feasibility with the city, the Metropolis and the private groups who already follow us but also to expand the address book, launches Gabriel Pantel-Jouve. In this case, we have good hope of being joined in the adventure and that there will be excitement thanks to the results acquired on the floor. Everyone would then need to sit around the table to discuss this possible opportunity to once again have professional men's basketball in the metropolis."

Soon back to the Palais des sports Coubertin

After several months of renovation, the Palais des sports Pierre-de-Coubertin in Montpellier will have its basketball team back next season. If by chance, the MBM played in Nationale 1, it would play on Friday evening: "We would then be the only ones there. play that day, we could bring together the world of basketball from Montpellier, departmental and the former Languedoc-Roussillon,” notes Gabriel Pantel-Jouve.

Whatever happens on a sporting level, the club will benefit from new facilities more conducive to the reception of the public and partners: "We will be able to get closer to the business model of high-level sport by taking advantage of the boxes, by organizing partner receptions so that companies can receive themselves & unite."

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