Michelin Group Takes Full Ownership of ASM Clermont Auvergne, Ensuring Club Continuity and Transformation

(IN BRIEF) Michelin Group has acquired full ownership of ASM Clermont Auvergne, a renowned rugby club. The acquisition aims to ensure the club’s continuity and guide its transformation. Michelin shares the club’s ambition to restore its athletic goals while improving the brand and image of the “Yellow Army.” The investment by Michelin will help establish stable economic foundations for the club. In the long term, Michelin plans to open the club’s ownership to other partners once its sporting performance and economic results stabilize. The support from Michelin will drive the development of the club, requiring both athletic excellence and an overhaul of the economic model. ASM Clermont Auvergne will benefit from a newly created General Director position to manage operational activities. Michelin’s commitment showcases its dedication to the region and the club’s rich history. The ASM Clermont Auvergne is determined to overcome challenges, with the support of its passionate supporters and partners.

(PRESS RELEASE) CLERMONT-FERRAND, France, 16-Jun-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — Michelin (EPA: ML), a French multinational tyre manufacturing company, has announced its acquisition of 100% of the shares of ASM Clermont Auvergne, solidifying its commitment to the club’s continuity and spearheading its transformation. Michelin shares the same ambition as ASM Clermont Auvergne – to restore the professional team’s athletic achievements swiftly while enhancing the brand and image of the renowned “Yellow Army.” Through its support, Michelin aims to establish a robust, long-term project for the club and foster its development.

ENSURING CLUB CONTINUITY FOR ASM CLERMONT AUVERGNE

The economic landscape of professional rugby remains challenging, both in France and internationally, with television rights alone often insufficient to ensure economic stability for clubs.

In recent years, the financial situation of ASM Clermont Auvergne has been impacted by several factors, including sports restructuring, the COVID-19 crisis, and lower scores, which have placed a significant strain on the club’s finances.

Michelin’s commitment as a shareholder will provide the club with a foundation for building new, stable economic grounds. It is Michelin’s intention, in the long run, to open the ownership of ASM Clermont Auvergne to other partners in the region once the club’s sporting performance and economic results stabilize.

SUPPORTING CLUB DEVELOPMENT

This renewed momentum will focus on athletic excellence while necessitating a profound transformation of the club’s economic model, revolving around the ASM brand, its stadium, its supporters, and its partners.

To facilitate this metamorphosis, the supervisory board of ASM Clermont Auvergne has established the position of General Director, with Benoît Vaz appointed to the role. Vaz, who has served as the liaison officer to the chairman since January 2023, will assist Jean-Claude Pats, the club’s chairman since June 1, 2023, in managing and operationally developing all ASM Clermont Auvergne activities.

For the Michelin group, becoming a shareholder of ASM Clermont Auvergne represents a twofold commitment – contributing to the region’s enhancement and supporting the club’s extensive sporting and non-sporting endeavors that trace back to the establishment of the sports association by Marcel Michelin in 1911. Today, ASM Clermont Auvergne plays a pivotal role in the region’s sporting excellence through its rugby club, training center, and partnerships with regional clubs. The club also promotes social cohesion through initiatives by ASM Omnisports and the ASM Impulsion Auvergne foundation. For over a century, ASM Clermont Auvergne has been a symbol of pride for the residents of Clermont-Ferrand and the Auvergne region, elevating the area’s prestige.

In this critical period, ASM Clermont Auvergne relies on the unwavering support of the Michelin group. The club has recently undergone fundamental changes in its management and organization. In this new context, ASM Clermont Auvergne must rise to both athletic and economic challenges. The club is fully committed to overcoming these obstacles and striking the necessary balance for optimal functioning. The encouragement of the passionate “Yellow Army” supporters and all the club’s partners will play a pivotal role in allowing ASM Clermont Auvergne to proudly represent the city and region.

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SOURCE: MICHELIN