Understanding Flemish or Dutch is not really for everyone. But when you see the little sign “Ingangskaart 5 euros”, you don’t need to know the subtleties of Van Gogh’s language to know that you’re going to have to go to the checkout. This is what happened on March 13 for the spectators of the Nokere Koerse, a Belgian semi-classic, who wanted to gather to scream as close as possible to the ears of the convicts of the pavement and the mountains of, so-called, flat country.
The Belgian race is not the only one to have launched an entry price. The Grand Prix du Morbihan will also ask (5 euros) spectators wishing to see the last kilometer at the side of the road to empty their wallets. And it is rumored in authorized circles that Flanders Classic, the organizer of the greatest Belgian classics, including the Tour of Flanders which takes place this Sunday, is also considering such an initiative.
“Only minuses in the financial statement”
Why this change in a popular sport where free access was one of the pillars? Because of the crisis and inflation, obviously, and the costs which are increasing endlessly. “Six weeks before the race, I still have 11,000 euros to find,” explains Franco La Paglia, organizer of the Circuit de Wallonie. A race like ours, which is a “small race”, I need 120 to 130,000 euros. You have to pay a minimum of 3,000 euros per team and so you multiply that by 20… 27,000 euros in organizational license, logistics and TV, that’s 25,000 euros more…”
Franco La Paglia, “who only has minuses in his financial balance sheet”, has not yet succumbed to the option of charging spectators, unlike Yannick Guégen, organizer of the GP du Morbihan, which takes place on 4 may. Spectators installed in the last kilometer, on the Cadoudal coast, will have to pay an entry fee “to allow us to counterbalance the economic difficulties of organizing an event of this level, with private partners who do not “do not increase their financial contribution, when they do not reduce it”.
“ We are in Brittany, the weather will dictate, continues Yannick Guégen. If the weather is very pleasant, we will have more spectators, we have had up to 10,000 people at the finale. We hope to generate 15,000 euros, which is the budget of a good partner in the event.” »
“We can’t ask for a euro”
Those who have not yet dared to take the plunge (the vast majority) either have doubts about the possibility of introducing this measure, or the feeling that such a decision would not be of any service to the race. “In the contracts with the cities of arrival and departure, which already pay quite a bit, it is always a free event, we cannot ask for a euro,” indicates Bruno Dequeecker, organizer of the Classic Bruges-De Panne. Although, when you do the math, it wouldn’t be bad. »
“On the Tour of Flanders, even if we ask to pay to go to the Kruisberg or the Paterberg, there will still be thousands of people who want to go there,” says Bert Pattyn, director of the Bredene Koksijde Classic. Where I live, there are a lot of people, but people would rather stay at home, watching on TV, than pay. And without an audience on the circuit, without an audience that we see on TV, it harms the popularity of the race and the impact it can have on sponsors. »
All our “race masters” also raised the issue of the perimeter which would be reserved for the paying public. Establish an exclusive zone at the finish, at the top of a hill, on a paved sector? “If I block the last 300 meters, people will start at 301st,” laughs Franco La Paglia. And then, my last kilometer, it’s in the middle of town, so I have houses on either side. Do I charge people who are at home? » “Here, it’s a 12 or 13 km circuit, how can we get people to pay for all of this space, it seems impossible to me,” adds Bert Pattyn.
Alternative solutions
So, rather than making spectators pay on arrival, some have found roundabout ways, like Bruno Dequeecker, who also waved the humor card: “We launched a campaign called VIS (Very Important Supporter), knowing that screw also means fish in Dutch. Spectators are given the opportunity to pay 50 euros, and they receive a goodie bag and a good place upon arrival. We tried this for the first time, and we can’t say that it was a great success. »
Food and drinks are also the lever activated by the organizers of Polynormande (August 11), who hope to change the habits of its spectators to make them mini-consumers. “We focused on entertainment around the race, with a village area where we offer catering at attractive prices,” explains Benoît Lemonnier. We insist more and more on this, that the catering is for the benefit of the association and the organization of the race. Since we’ve been hammering it, we feel like we’re getting some feedback. It’s well received by people. »
While waiting to have supplies for spectators on the Tour stages, can we expect to have to pay to see Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard and Lenny Martinez racing in Alpe d’Huez? No, and not soon. “This is something that we do not want and do not want to do on the races that we manage,” assures us ASO, which has an immense portfolio of races, from the Grande Boucle to the Vuelta via Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège or Paris-Nice. Honor is safe. The wallet too. Oh, by the way, free, in Dutch, it says vrij.