The City will donate €800,000 to SASP Béziers Rugby for the season: “A real Christmas tradition”

La Ville de Béziers, indéfectible soutien à l’ASBH. Ici Robert Ménard aux côtés des nouveaux propriétaires du club, en novembre dernier. Midi Libre – Michael Esdourrubailh

During the municipal council, which took place this Tuesday, December 17, the elected representatives of Béziers voted for a new subsidy of 800,000 euros to SASP Béziers rugby to “support the excellent dynamics of the club”. Despite the recent acquisition of ASBH by private investors, municipal support remains full.

While ASBH has just been acquired by a consortium of Irish and English investors, the City of Béziers renewed its financial support, this Tuesday, December 17, during the last municipal council of the year. The elected officials have indeed voted for a new subsidy of €800,000 for the 2024-2025 season. This is to “support the exceptional dynamics of the club”, the deliberation indicates.

A partnership agreement

The partnership agreement between the City and the club specifies the terms of collaboration between the two entities. It also defines commitments, particularly in terms of training, education, prevention and security… The document also specifies that the City's subsidy will be paid in two installments: €400,000 in January 2025 and €400,000 in January 2026. in May 2025.

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The agreement also specifies that a service contract will be concluded between the City and SASP Béziers Rugby for communication, jerseys, purchase of places, meals and cocktails which “will provide an income of €284,127.50 to SASP for the 2024-2025 season.” Which brings the City's contribution well over a million euros.

“It's a real Christmas tradition”

“It's a real Christmas tradition”, commented the elected member of the Green opposition Thierry Antoine. Before mentioning the recent report of the Regional Audit Office: “There is a problem in the monitoring of subsidies paid and the supporting documents for their use. They should not be used to balance a budget but for specific actions. The Regional Audit Office points out that there is no monitoring. However, it is a legal obligation.”The communist Nicolas Cossange suggested, for his part, that this subsidy be accompanied by a commitment to structures to combat violence against women, in light of current events and the conviction of two ASBH players for domestic violence… The opposition elected officials ultimately all voted in favor of this subsidy and this agreement.

It should be noted that the provision of the Raoul-Barrière stadium by the City, for a fee of €35,000, will be the subject of another, specific agreement. And that in parallel, the ASBH association, which manages the amateur sector, will receive a subsidy of €210,000 for this same season.

The City will be reimbursed for the €400,000 advanced to the SCIC

Tuesday's municipal council was also an opportunity to acknowledge the reimbursement of the 400,000 euros that the City of Béziers had advanced in 2021 to the SCIC (Société collective d'intérêt coopératif) Ambition Béziers développement to enable the ASBH to maintain financial balance. A reimbursement planned with an increase in the amount of interest that was borne by the municipality (around 34,000 euros). A scheme that was subsequently criticized by the Regional Audit Office. As opposition elected official Anne-Marie Raysseguié recalled: “We created a “borderline” structure. I am satisfied with the outcome but it was not clear…” For his part, communist Nicolas Cossange questioned the majority on the future of this SCIC, while the club was resold ? It should be dissolved. But “I don't have a timetable", replied Robert Ménard. “We'll take care of it but there's no sense of urgency”. What matters, in essence, “is that the club was saved because the City bought it.”

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