It is the latest addition to the professional sports leagues. The Judo Pro League was launched in 2022. It brings together twelve of the best French clubs who competed from September to December in a championship with mixed teams. And, among these twelve pioneer clubs, three are from the Ile-de-France region: Asnières (Hauts-de-Seine), Le Blanc-Mesnil (Seine-Saint-Denis) and Paris-Saclay (Essonne).
Three more structures that will seek to share the cake of sports rights, sponsorship and TV rights. Because, to participate in this Judo Pro League, launched by the French Judo Federation (FFJ), you need to have some means: pay an entry ticket of 20,000 euros and, above all, have judokas under contract.
These are the conditions for accessing this new league that the FFJ hopes will be more and more attractive… and lucrative. “It is to bring media coverage, analyzes Nicolas Corne-Viney, of the Regional Institute for Sports Development (IRDS). These mixed mini-combats which are linked over two hours, like the Olympic team event which was a success, give a spotlight to the discipline. Most of these judokas have contracts, but apart from stars like Teddy Riner or Clarisse Agbegnenou, they don’t live off it yet. However, if an athlete is not paid, if he is not a pro, it is harder to bring back medals. »
PSG could join the 2023 edition
The Judo Pro League is therefore potentially a win-win for the clubs, the judokas and the table of medals for 2024… Even if the initiative was able to make some teeth cringe in the federal bosom which is used to managing the high level via Insep and the national technical direction.
This new league has in any case highlighted the density of judo in the Ile-de-France region. Each region had the right to hire one club, but Île-de-France was able to have three. And the objective is to add a fourth, probably PSG, for the Judo Pro League 2023, which would increase to 16 clubs.
In the meantime, the results are positive according to Simon Soubiran, president of FLAM 91. The Longjumeau and Massy club in Essonne has joined forces with its neighbor Judo Club Chilly-Mazarin to create Paris-Saclay Judo. The entity, with in particular the Olympic team champion Alexandre Iddir, won the first edition of the Judo Pro League, during a final four at the Paris Dojo on December 17.
“It reminds me of what Stade Français did in rugby”
“There were 2,500 people in the audience, the event was broadcast on Sport in France (the channel of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee, the CNOSF). This two-hour format makes for great evenings of judo. It’s easier to sell to TVs and partners than a Paris Tournament which lasts from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. It reminds me of what the Stade Français did in rugby a few years ago to bring in a new audience, ”explains Simon Soubiran.
His club, which is also the former of Stéphane Nomis, president of the FFJ, snatched the final victory against Nice in a good atmosphere after being led 2-0. And an additional sponsor, Razel-Bec, has signed up with Paris-Saclay for this event. “This frees up resources for the judokas,” says Simon Soubiran. Not the very best, but hopefuls in the making. »
