M6 Could Reconsider Investment in Bordeaux

Nicolas de Tavernost, capsule M6 board of directors’ chairman and majority shareholder of Girondins de Bordeaux , declared that he could reconsider his investment in the football club next year due to the latest law from the French government which stipulates that each company who will earn more than €1m a year will be taxed at 75%.

This announcement could put an end to the 14 years partnership between the broadcast channel and the club, as M6 has supported Ligue 1 club since 1999.

Nicolas de Tavernost said: “This is an analysis, not a threat. We are doing important efforts, with a transparency management rule, and we know where our capital is from.

“We help the club since 1999, further to a request from the Chairman, Jean-Louis Triaud.

“Obviously, if we have negative signals like this 75% tax, we will have to reconsider our investment in the football”.

“We can’t agree to be treated like that by the ministry of sports, in a loss-making club which try to reduce his salaries, sometimes to the detriment of the sport part, and who tried to establish an industrial plan for a stadium with the town.

“For our club, this tax is estimated at €6m over the next 2 years. This is a bad signal sent to industrial investors, professionals as us” added the chairman, dismissing the idea of a “threat” or a “strike”.

“I don’t think that strikes are a good way and they sanction the supporters. This is not a good idea”, he added.