The rumor of a Chamonix-Morzine merger became a reality on Wednesday. As a result, the Eagles of Nice are number 1 on the list for a potential promotion. But it’s a long process that requires massive investment.
If the Niçois failed on the field to move up to the Ligue Magnus (losing 2 games to 0 to Morzine), the elite of French hockey, they can hope for a promotion “by application.” Indeed, the Chamonix Hockey Club will merge with the Hockey Club Morzine Avoriaz Les Gets (HCMAG) to create a major club capable of playing at the top of the league.
Nice is choice number 1
“To choose the promoted club, we will respect the sporting order, meaning Nice (defeated by Morzine in the promotion playoffs), Lyon, Briançon, and Anglet,” explains Éric Ropert, CEO of the FFHG. “We will therefore ask Nice if they are interested. If so, they will need to submit a file that must be approved by the control committee and the board of directors of the Federation.” (source: lequipe.fr)
Nice Hockey is therefore actively working to try to meet all the conditions set by the French Ice Hockey Federation. A long championship now begins in the offices to get the “Ligue Magnus” ticket. As our colleagues from Nice-Matin explained before the playoff against Morzine, a promotion to Ligue Magnus, especially with the new format (44 matches instead of 26, meaning many away games), is very demanding.
More than €600,000 to find
Currently, the budget of about €400,000 does not allow the Eagles to compete in Ligue Magnus. The average budget for elite clubs is around €1.5 million, so Nice must find, within a few weeks, at least €600,000 (a budget of one million would be sufficient). Nice-Matin also notes that the requirements are very demanding, with the mandatory recruitment of a manager, a secretary, a full-time equipment manager, a webmaster, and a marketing/communication manager. In short, Ligue Magnus is still far away, but it is possible for the Division 1 French champion. Stay tuned for the next episode as the “Nice in Ligue Magnus” series could keep Nice sports enthusiasts on edge for several long weeks.
