The 20 Ligue 1 clubs collectively lost €56M for the year ending June ’15, representing the “seventh consecutive negative fiscal year for elite French football,” according to Hermant & Moatti of L’ÉQUIPE. A report published by French football’s financial oversight authority, the National Directorate of Management Control (DNCG), showed that the “three worst performing clubs” that make up the bulk of the Ligue 1 debts are: Lyon which lost €21.4M, Rennes with €15.8M in losses and Bordeaux with €13.4M in losses. Recently relegated club Lens “was not far behind” with a deficit of €10.1M. Of the 20 clubs only five recorded profits, with Paris St. Germain topping the list at €10.6M. The report indicated that the club losses have almost halved from €102M to €56M “under the double effect of a marked improvement in operating income and strong growth in transfer operations.” Clubs in financial trouble are forced to sell their best players in order to “save themselves,” leading to French football racking up €221M from transfer fees in ’15 compared to €179M in ’14. The future “may be less somber.” The report said that “audiovisual rights, the principal resource for clubs, are secure and will be rising” (L’ÉQUIPE, 3/30).
