The organizing committee for the French Alps 2030 event has set out to find a fallback solution for ice hockey following the failure of the Nice projectSeveral options are being considered, including Lyon, with the LDLC Arenaand Paris. What are the capital's arguments? Marie Barsacq, CEO of Paris Entertainment Company, which notably operates the LDLC Arena and the adidas Arena, answers questions from Francs Jeux.
When did you first start thinking about the possibility of hosting Winter Olympic events in Paris?
At the invitation of the International Ice Hockey Federation president, Luc Tardif, for the bronze medal match and the final of the women's Olympic tournament in Milan-Cortina. I love the Games, so I was following the French Alps 2030 bid and the situation in Nice, which was hanging in the balance due to the municipal elections. Being on-site, in the Arena, immersed in the Olympic atmosphere, I realized we had a chance if Nice could no longer host the hockey tournaments. Particularly because we have a permanent ice rink in the Arena: the Bercy arena's ice rink is above a regular rink. In four days, the Arena can be transformed into a top-quality ice rink. We also have a rink, open to the public every day, which could be used for training during the Games. It meets the standards of training facilities, and we have a resident club, the Flying Frenchmen. That's another significant advantage; we don't need to build a temporary training rink.
Is your card for the Accor Arena? Not the Adidas Arena?
We studied the possibility of hosting the women's competition at the adidas Arena, but unfortunately, the arena's dimensions are insufficient. It's four meters too short to meet the International Federation's requirements. We can't host competitions at the adidas Arena; however, we are working on a proposal for a temporary venue to host the women's competition. The adidas Arena could be used as a training facility. It hosts Disney on Ice every year, so we could set up an ice rink there.
So you're not just thinking about men's hockey, you're proposing a comprehensive solution?
Yes, of course. When we submitted an unsolicited application, we proposed the boys' team to the Accor Arena and the girls' team to the Adidas Arena. In the meantime, with the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee (COJOP), we carried out measurements and determined that the Adidas Arena met the requirements for national competitions, but not those of the IOC. We had the same inspection at the Accor Arena, which approved both the ice rink and the training rink.
Where would the temporary site for the women's matches be located?
We're currently considering it, and we're discussing it with the Paris City Hall. We're looking at the best compromise between energy and financial efficiency and ensuring a high-quality experience for the women's tournament, because we want a truly magical setting. We'll be submitting an application in the coming days.
What kind of discussions do you have with the COJOP?
We responded to the specifications. They asked us for clarification, which we provided on Tuesday. We are still in this process. The initial letter from the Organizing Committee only concerned the boys' tournament. We offered to work on the girls' tournament as well, and they agreed today (Wednesday), so we are working on it to prepare a proposal.
In terms of capacity, what would your proposal be, for boys and for girls?
For the men's events, these are the figures we're proposing for the 2028 World Championship. We have a box office capacity of 14.000 seats. We also have substantial hospitality areas, including suites and lounges: over 3.000 square meters, allowing us to accommodate 2.500 VIPs per session. These are significant figures, as you know, hockey revenue typically accounts for 60% of the Games' box office revenue. Having an arena with maximum box office and hospitality capacity provides financial security for the organizing committee. For the women's events, the specifications are around 8.000 seats.
Is the capacity of the sites, and therefore the resulting revenue, your main argument?
Our primary objective is to contribute to the economic success of the French Alps 2030 project. I was involved in the Paris 2024 adventure, so I'm very familiar with these challenges. We have this ice rink solution within our facilities, and an existing training rink. Our second objective is to ensure the project's reach extends beyond the South and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (AURA) regions. This must be a project for the entire country. This national reach is, in my opinion, a real asset: we need to get all French people involved, so the celebration can be felt throughout France. We're giving the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee (COJOP) the opportunity to seize this opportunity. Sponsors will also be interested in having a competition venue outside the AURA and South regions. We saw this at Paris 2024 with the shooting events in Châteauroux and the sailing events in Marseille. This gave the project a national dimension, and I strongly believe in this dimension.
Wouldn't it be a shame to have such an iconic Winter Olympic event so far from the Alps for the 2030 French Alpine Games?
We're putting ourselves forward, and the executive committee will make the decisions. We need to hear all the arguments. Involving the entire country is a compelling argument. I know how much sponsors value organizing events and activating their brands nationwide. Of course, Paris is a symbolic city. I also know how much Parisians and French people are eager to see the Games return to Paris. We experienced some magical moments in 2024, and many want to relive that.
Travel times between the Milan-Cortina venues were one of the drawbacks of this year's Games. Did you discuss connections between Paris and the other clusters with the Paris 2020 Organizing Committee?
Everyone will transit through Paris via the Charles de Gaulle airport hub. In fact, we'll be going through Paris, and then on to the Alps and the southern region.
Do you remain confident, despite the reluctance of host regions to see ice hockey move away?
Everyone is making their case. What's important is the common good. It's crucial that the project be a true success, both economically and in terms of national commitment. For the IOC, the 2030 French Alpine Games are a major opportunity to continue transforming the Winter Games model. Therefore, all avenues must be explored, including those with economic advantages. The Organizing Committee is already doing this, having entered targeted dialogue with the Netherlands on speed skatingHe is open to these challenges of cost-effectiveness and revenue maximization. The venue already exists, there is expertise, and an audience that will provide assurances of filling the arena and generating significant ticket revenue. The Organizing Committee for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games (COJOP) has these issues firmly in mind when choosing hockey venues, and as such, we are presenting arguments quite similar to those for the speed skating venue. We are confident, even though we are the underdogs!
