The new economic situation spares no one. Like some of their Olympic colleagues in Rio, French university athletes do not escape the budget cuts of federations, sports associations (AS) and private sponsors. In 2016, the use of participatory financing has become a practical solution for the top-level amateur competitor to cover expenses related to the preparation of the athlete.
The French tennis player Louis Lechevretel, present at the Masters U of Marcq-en-Barœul, financed a piece of his season 2016 thanks to the platform KissKissBankBank. “My coach and my parents calculated how much a year was going to cost me. We started on a 10% aid request. You can not ask for you to be paid all your season … “Increasingly, practice has yet to normalize in the minds of practitioners, who inevitably question the fate of their gift. With a successful collection of 124%, the player recognizes that he owes the success of his project to his tennis entourage: “Most of my funding comes from my Wissous club. There are only 2% of donors I do not know, “he said.
Partnership between the FFSU and Sponsoriseme
The French University Sport Federation (FFSU), failing to be able to support financially as it would like to do, has decided to accompany its athletes in their efforts. Thus, in spring 2016, a partnership was signed with one of the leaders of crowfunding sports, Sponsor.me. With a non-profit, the platform hosted on the site of the FFSU wishes to retain the student-athletes. “This partnership is an informative approach to helping our students. It is a relay, to find financing more easily, “says Damien Bardot, director of partnerships at the FFSU. More communicative since November, the leader begins to feel the first effects of this agreement. “Currently, two projects are being funded. We broadcast more widely to sports associations and coaches via mailing and brochures. It is hoped that this will be sustained. ”
The success of a participatory financing project is not without an active presence on social networks. “Today is an important part of a career,” admits Louis Lechevretel. It is also a necessary tool to let donors know that their Euros have been useful. “It’s special to ask people for money. It does not make me uncomfortable but we must also give them their support, “he continues. Malin, the 1644th at the ATP rewarded his benefactors with objects autographed by his care (balls, T-shirts, etc.). The history of linking the useful to the pleasant, and increasing loyalty to his growing fan club.
At the beginning of December, it was the French women’s alpine skiing team, professional, who wanted to finance their training course in Ushuaia on KissKiss. This illustrates the very strong competition between the applicants, necessarily detrimental for the less exposed sportsmen. A question should quickly rises: will sports crowfunding resist the multiplication of the number of projects?