For several months, French Ligue 2 side Stade de Lavallois President Christian Duraincie has “put pressure on local politicians as well as club partners to advance his new stadium project,” according to Anthony Alyce of ECOFOOT. According to Duraincie, if the club does not “rapidly develop a modern stadium, there will not be high-level football in Laval in the future.” To support his claims, Duraincie “referenced the club’s revenue structure.” Registering operational revenues of up to €8M ($8.8M) per fiscal year, Lavallois’ revenues “depend strongly on TV rights, which comprise more than 50% of the club’s revenue figures outside of transfers.” However, in its present circumstances the club “risks losing its club license because of a dilapidated stadium.” To remedy the situation the Lavallois Board has “worked out two possible projects to build a 12,000-seat stadium that corresponds to modern standards, particularly in terms of connectivity.” The first option consists of “modernizing the current Basseur Stadium, by constructing new sections behind both goals.” The second and “more ambitious project consists of building an entirely new structure.” The estimated cost for the project is between €20M ($22M) and €25M ($27.5M), “depending on the project” (ECOFOOT, 7/20).
