Sébastien Sémeril : “The book of specifications to organise the Euro 2016 would barely fit in a cupboard”

Second and final part of Sébastien Sémeril’s interview.

- Let’s discuss « Stade Rennais Land ». Could you remind us what the project is about and how advanced it is at this moment?

I don’t like this name. It has remained, but it reminds me of Disneyland, and we don’t plan to create a Dinseyland. When saying « Stade Rennais Land », it sounds like Stade Rennes want to build some sort of sportive Disneyland besides their core activity which is organising matches. But this is not what it is. What happens, since over ten years, is that the French League is living comfortably thanks to Canal +, who nicely but firmly announce: “This can’t last anymore”. Meanwhile, Orange is giving up. And I don’t believe the Professional Football League’s (LFP) channel will work. There is another issue throughout the French league: a number of stadiums are truly out-dated.

«We would nearly have needed to destroy the Stadium and rebuild it»

We then applied to host Euro 2016 games. I convinced the mayor, and we went there thinking the specifications could be amended. We made a few studies, etc., and then we realised there was no possibility to amend the specifications. I was appalled by things requested. When we were asked to build a 150m² room linked to each dressing room so the players could complete their muscular preparation (could they not do it outside, on the pitch?), to enlarge – compared to the 1998 World Cup – the VIP seats by four centimetres, I felt like they were messing me about. It gobsmacked me, we would nearly have needed to destroy the Stadium and rebuild it. The specifications for the 1998 World Cup could have fitted in a briefcase, the UEFA’s specifications to organise the Euro 2016 would barely fit in a cupboard. We are in a system of astounding over-standardization. There are unbelievable things. Many things have got nothing to do with the sport, and no-one points them. The book of specifications is mainly focused on planning operations regarding reception of the sponsors, the VIP and the security, etc. At some point, you start wondering: “where is the football in here?”. In terms of ethics, it raises a lot of questions.

The Stade de la Route de Lorient was renovated on the base of the existing pitch. In 2004, the aim was to turn a 20,000 seater stadium into a 30,000 seater. We kept the structure, we raised the stands and we created some lodges, external fittings, the various offices under the stadium. We based it on the existing building, we didn’t dismount everything. Remember, the stadium worked well. For Euro 2016, it would have cost us 40 million euros. We spent the same in 2004, which is not so long ago. It’s a lot of money. On top of that, the State, who had financed 40% of the Stadiums’ renovation in 1998, was preparing to propose a 150 million euros envelop, which didn’t even represent 10% of the investment. We really were left on our own. We had a meeting to take a final decision on what we would do or not. We didn’t want to do the same as some cities did, “We apply and we see what happens” [Ed’: Strasbourg]. For Marseille and Lyon, it’s not guaranteed to work. The president of the French football federation [Ed.: at the time, Jean-Pierre Escalettes] told us, they didn’t keep Saint-Etienne only for its history. They are certain the project won’t work in Rennes: there is heavy resistance against it, thousands of locals are showing their opposition.

«A stadium at the heart of the city, this is the future»

It would be two and a half seasons in which the stadium would be nearly unable to host spectators. In terms of operation, it would have been bad. We would have started the works next year, it would have lasted 18 months, and you can imagine the situation. So we agreed, club and city: “no, we won’t do it” and we withdrew. Another thing we said during this meeting is that the Stade de la Route de Lorient is a beautiful stadium, as Pinault said, and that a capacity of 30,000 seats was more than enough, even for the twenty years to come. However, we agreed on the need to be vigilant on one point, which is that all project of renovation in the different cities was not only focusing on the seating capacity, but also on the fact to have a commercial area around, next and in the Stadium. The idea is simple: We are in the logic of optimising the investment. An equipment of this level used 2 to 4 times a month, it’s not enough. We need to be able to welcome the public more often during the week and during the periods of play, increase the time of presence. This is what England did with their new stadiums. So we decided to abandon our projects for Euro 2016, but instead work on this second part that is the economic diversification, and we said to Stade Rennais: “give us your proposals”. The genesis is that simple: mutual interests – an entrepreneurial interest for the Stade Rennais and an urban interest for the city of Rennes. We have urban projects for the surroundings of the Stade de la Route de Lorient just has we have everywhere. We agreed with the Stade Rennais that we should have converging interests, and if we had opportunities, we would work together. The distance between the future tube station in Cleunay and the Stadium is the same as the distance between the Stade de France and its RER station.

I’m very attached to the idea of a Stadium at the heart of the city. I think this is the future. For the town in a first place, but also because the future will bring environmental obligations. In the future, when a litre of petrol will cost 3 or 4 euros, this will become an obligation. To have a stadium in the middle of the city, 10 or 15 minutes away from the Place de Bretagne, it will be worth it. This is also where Edmond Hervé proved to be a visionary. It would have been easy to build a new Stadium on a field. . In 2004, with the same money, we could have built a 40,000 seats stadium with lots of things around it. But there is an historical attachment. Also, even though the Stade de la Route de Lorient is in town, it has a drawback, which could be arranged: it is a bit landlocked, between the Route de Lorient on one side and the Vilaine on the other. What is missing is a square, a place where people could see and admire the Stadium. If we could bring the stadium closer to Cleunay and open it up a bit, create a square, it would change everything. Especially if it could leave more space to pedestrians. Stade Rennes is currently working on it.

«During the Coupe de France final, we gave an example of sportsmanship, of fair-play, of atmosphere, of friendliness, of sportive passion»

When we say Stade Rennes need to diversify its economy, it’s an objective reality. Either we chip in and we help them, or we don’t and then we can’t complain if the club struggles against relegation or sits at the middle of the table. We have an urban project: to have a Stade de la Route de Lorient with more space, installed better in Rennes’ landscape, not as much landlocked. After this, Stade Rennes want to diversify their economy, it’s up to them to find ideas and locations. There are urban mutations, land-buying opportunities. Anticipation is required. The Stade de la Route de Lorient is there, it won’t move, but if we can work and improve its surroundings to make the club’s economic development easier and also develop an urban project to reinforce the location, put it .in harmony with the rest of the city, we will certainly help to do so.

Stade Rennes is working, will probably get support and we will have a chance to meet as we do often with the Stade Rennais. What activities will we have? Economic activities surrounding football and the Stade Rennais. It could be sports activities, restaurants, gymnasiums, five a side pitches, bars.

- Is Rennes a city of Football ?

Yes, Brittany is a land of football. Rennes is its capital, so there is no reason it wouldn’t be. There are two disciplines that historically structured the region and the city: cycling and football.

Let me tell you a story that marked me as a young representative. On this famous 9 May [Ed.: 9th May 2009, the day of the Coupe de France final between Rennes and Guingamp], at 22:30, the DDSP (Departmental Director of Public Security) for the Ile de France region came to meet the prefect and told him “it’s historical, never at the Stade de France we had closed the Security Headquarter that early. It is 22:30, I’m asking the riot squad to vacate the location”. This is Brittany. We gave an example of sportsmanship, of fair-play, of atmosphere, of friendliness, of sportive passion. When Escalettes told us, “There will be two historical moments that will remain at the Stade de France: the 1998 France-Brazil final and Rennes-Guingamp”… Everyone was bluffed.

«Michel Drucker was impressed by the atmosphere»

- Is football not taking too much space in Rennes in comparison to other sports ?

I believe football as evolved. It doesn’t rely on public money anymore. It’s a private company that offers a show. It’s a business. The only interest the collectivities have is to be the landlord, make some work occasionaly. But after that, the club’s management is something else. Is Stade Rennais taking all the business partners? No, since we have a unique shareholder, Pinault. All other partners are there in a logic of communication. There are complementarities, or even accumulations. Some economical partners are backing the handball or the volleyball and are not at the Stade Rennais, and will never be at the SRFC because this is not a viable option for them. It’s better to have your name on a volleyball shirt throughout a game, rather than a tiny logo at the back of a football player.

Volleyball, as handball, can thank the driving force from the Stade Rennais, which installed a logic of partnership and initiated, ten years ago, this corporate culture, this culture of communication, which companies didn’t really have the opportunity to do then. The others profited of the work done. There is space for everyone, even though the football attracts the biggest crowds.

- You are very active on social networks. What do you think of Stade Rennes as a discussion topic on these networks?

Stade Rennes is getting more and more present on the social networks, and in nice terms. We suffered of a negative image. We were talking about influence networks. I believe the social networks can start giving a new, nicer image. I like to post images I’ve filmed on my Facebook, to show the atmosphere. Michel Drucker, for example, right behind me [Ed.: during Rennes-PSG, on February 5th], was baffled by the atmosphere. And I can tell you Drucker had the opportunity to see two or three great shows during his career! Seeing his age, the affinity he as with Dréossi and particularly with Pinault, he doesn’t say that sort of thing to be nice. He says it sincerely.

To talk about social networks again, Stade Rennes could, for example, set-up a Tweet Wall at the Stadium, on which we could see the tweets live on the screen. The journalists could also tweet. I think it is a matter of generations.

Also read : First part of Sébastien Sémeril’s interview