The basketball players of the Antibes Sharks had a meeting at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Nice and the Côte d’Azur (CCI) to meet the economic sector and explain that a sports club is also… a business. A convivial and sharing moment as part of the Sharks Business Club.
Tim Blue, Moustapha Fall, Victor Samnik, and Frédéric Bourdillon, all were present this Wednesday, January 27, at the Nice CCI, to meet the club’s partners, which includes the Chamber of Commerce of Nice. Partners were able to converse directly with the Antibes stars, as well as with coach Julien Espinosa and CEO, Frédéric Jouve.
As the second half of the season is about to start, the Sharks are currently in the middle of the Pro A standings, in ninth place. A genuine achievement for this club, which holds the second smallest budget of the championship and is calmly considering maintaining its position in the elite this year.
However, there’s no resting on their laurels. In front of a room full of partners, the CEO of the club, Frédéric Jouve, showed ambition when announcing the Sharks’ sporting project: “Aiming for Europe soon, meaning within the next five years.”
Frédéric Jouve is optimistic about the future of his club. How can anyone blame him when you see the current ranking of Julien Espinosa’s team with so little means. It is with this perspective that a business network, The Sharks Business Club, was established in 2012. Reserved for all the club’s partners, it now has more than a hundred members supporting the Antibes club. Essential financial support for the number one professional basketball club in the Alpes-Maritimes and the PACA Region.
“Becoming a partner of the Sharks means benefiting from the transfer of values at the highest level of professional sport in favor of your brand. It is also about sharing the passion of Antibes basketball while building friendly and professional relationships, allowing you to develop your image by energizing your activity.”
The relational aspect is key in this project. The goal is clear for the 3rd most titled professional basketball club in the National League: to create a genuine network with its partners and not focus solely on the commercial aspect, as can be done in other clubs and sports. In other words, a win-win situation.
The club gains significant support and liquidity from its partners, which is necessary for the club’s survival at the professional level. As for the partners, besides the advantage of seeing their brand broadcasted nationally, they benefit from various high-end offers (notably visibility and hospitality), “business” events like the one on Wednesday at the Nice CCI, as well as a communication platform allowing members to contact each other directly.
Bernard Kleynhoff, President of the CCI Nice Côte d’Azur, who has been a partner of the club since last year, praised the initiative last November: “The atmosphere during game nights is very good, and partners have the opportunity to exchange ideas. It’s a network that works very well because people are relaxed and the conviviality is present.”
While awaiting potential new partners, the Sharks will return to the Azurarena court on February 1st. It will be an opportunity for Tim Blue and his teammates to take their revenge on the current 7th place in Pro A (loss 89-83 in the first game) and perhaps charm new partners by gaining places in the standings.
