Tony Parker © Tim Douet – 2015
In an interview given to The Team, Tony Parker, the president and main shareholder of Asvel has confirmed his desire to sell his shares to another shareholder, Smart Good Things. The NBA champion specifies that he will remain president of the Lyon-Villeurbanne club.
The rumors revealed at the beginning of the week by our newspaper colleagues The Team were therefore true, president and main shareholder of Asvel since 2014, Tony Parker has every intention of selling his shares in the Lyon-Villeurbanne club. In a interview granted to the sports daily on Thursdaythe four-time NBA champion confirms that he wants to entrust the keys to the club to one of his other shareholders.
Read also: Tony Parker ready to sell his shares in Asvel?
Smart Good Things next owner?
“I will become the second largest shareholder of “SGT”“, explains to our colleagues Tony Parker. In other words, the former leader of the France team wishes to exchange his shares Asvel against shares of Smart Good Things, a company specializing in the manufacture of instant drinks, owned by man Franco-Israeli businessman Serge Bueno. Having joined Asvel in 2022, Smart Good Things would thus become the club’s largest shareholder ahead of LDLC and OL.
“I want to reassure everyone. I see myself staying at Asvel for the next ten years“
Tony Parker, president and majority shareholder of Asvel
Tony Parker, however, assures that he does not intend to leave the club and that this is only an operation “patrimonial“. “I want to reassure everyone. I see myself staying at Asvel for the next ten years“, he specifies, while insisting on the fact that “nothing will change there. I will remain president of Asvel, president of women’s Asvel, the board will be the same and I will make decisions as usual“.
LDLC and OL circumspect
Words intended to reassure the other partner shareholders of the club, in particular LDLC, OL or the City of Villeurbanne, who would have concerns about this transfer. Not everyone would see this change of ownership so favorably. “It is normal for there to be caution. This is benevolence on the part of my shareholders. It is not because we enter into discussions that there are problems or that it is war. We will discuss and try to find the best possible solution for the club.“, justifies Tony Parker.
“I have invested a lot in the past three years. […] I can’t do it all alone“
Tony Parker, president and majority shareholder of Asvel
Although the club is not at its best this season with a 17th place in the Euroleague and a 7th place in the French championship standings, Asvel retains a very good coast and its value would today be estimated at 40 million. euros. Enough to raise some questions about this transfer, especially since the club with 21 French championship titles obtained in 2021 a Euroleague license for 10 years.
According to Tony Parker’s explanations, this operation would aim to allow the club to continue to grow in order to one day win the title of European champion. “I have invested a lot in the past three years. […] I can’t do everything alone. If tomorrow we want to reach the 25 million euro budget to try to be European champion one day or the 10-15 million for girls, I will need help. There’s no shame in saying that“, concedes the former player. Currently, the men’s team already relies on a record budget of 15.7 million euros.
