Universal Registration Document 2019/20
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UNIVERSAL REGISTRATION DOCUMENT REGISTRATION UNIVERSAL 2019 I 2020 OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS 2018/19 DESIGN: Actus, Zebrand PHOTO CREDITS: S. Guiochon – Le Progrès / G. Bailly / L. Dakhly / Damien LG / Paul Thouvenin / Chuck Burton - AP - SIPA © Populous - Intens Cité Groupe AIA / Buffi ENGLISH TEXT: Trafine SARL II UNIVERSAL REGISTRATION DOCUMENT - OL GROUPE 2019/20 IV • INTERVIEW WITH THE CHAIRMAN VI • ONE OF EUROPE’S MOST SUCCESSFUL CLUBS VIII • OL GROUPE AT A GLANCE 2019/20 KEY FIGURES X • STRATEGIC PLAN TO 2024 XII • GROUPAMA STADIUM XIV • MEN’S FOOTBALL XVI • WOMEN’S FOOTBALL XVIII • OL PLAYER TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT XX • PRESENT ON FIVE CONTINENTS XXII • ASVEL XXIV • EVENTS XXVI • OL VALLEY - ARENA PROJECT XXVIII • OL REIGN - ESPORT XXX • CSR XXXII • FINANCIAL RESULTS XXXIV • SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION CONTENTS UNIVERSAL REGISTRATION DOCUMENT - OL GROUPE 2019/20 III Interview with the Chairman HOW WOULD YOU SUM UP 2019/20 PERFORMANCE AMID WHAT ACTION ARE YOU TAKING FOLLOWING THE LFP’S THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC? DECISION TO END THE FRENCH LIGUE 1 CHAMPIONSHIP Our financial performance was on track ahead of the pandemic to meet PREMATURELY? our forecasts, which would have seen OL achieve its best-ever results. Contrasting with the approach taken by Europe’s other major leagues, Over the nine months to 31 March 2020, we recorded revenue growth the LFP made a unilateral decision to halt the championship on the of 19%, but it was at that point that the Covid-19 situation struck French 28th matchday, depriving all clubs, and particularly the biggest among professional football, with an LFP decision dealing a particularly heavy them, of TV revenue (€300 million in 2019/20). blow to OL. For the first time in 24 years, OL was unfairly denied the chance to play That said, our EBITDA held up in positive territory, and our finances in this season’s European competitions. As Raymond Domenech put remain in good shape, including our cash position. it: “OL did not finish in 7th spot. The championship was halted when OL Prior to the lockdown, our Full Entertainment strategy predicated was 7th. That’s not the same thing.” on football continued to make good progress. With the opening of We lodged an appeal with the Conseil d’État, France’s highest our stadium, our revenue had grown from €218.1 million in 2015/16 to administrative court. The Conseil d’Etat upheld our contention that €309 million in 2018/19. the decision to halt the French Ligue 1 championship prematurely We will make certain we adapt to the circumstances and keep the was made by the LFP’s Board of Directors and not by the French Group going from strength to strength. government. Since 1987, Olympique Lyonnais has always been able to stay one step So we will be pursuing our claim for compensation solely ahead of changes, and we know that our fans cannot wait to get back against the LFP. to the stadium. We, too, look forward to welcoming them once again to The opportunity cost for OL following this decision, which we consider all OL Groupe’s facilities. to be unfair, amounts to over €110 million. All the other European fixtures resumed with suitable adjustments, and no further interruptions occurred. While we need to learn to live with the virus, we certainly also need OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS LOST NO TIME IN RESPONDING TO to be able to reach decisions collectively so we can continue playing in the various competitions in a manner that keeps everyone safe and NEEDS THAT AROSE DURING LOCKDOWN protects the interests of French football and the clubs. The Board of Directors, the entire Olympique Lyonnais organisation and The French Ligue 1 championship should have been completed, as UEFA its Foundation immediately swung into action right from the start of managed to do with the Champions League and the Europa League, as the crisis. the football authorities did in Germany, Italy, England and Spain. In many cases, the pandemic merely exacerbated existing vulnerabilities. It was our duty to set an example and support those in greatest need. SOMEWHAT IRONICALLY, YOUR ON-PITCH ACHIEVEMENTS Our players, both men and women, were heavily involved in our response during lockdown. HIT NEW HEIGHTS IN THE SUMMER, DIDN’T THEY? They lived up to their role as the club’s ambassadors, reinforcing key The 2019/20 season ended with an unprecedented string of successes health messages and showing their support. in European competitions. I’m so proud of the efforts made by Olympique Lyonnais’ employees as We are the only European club to have achieved such combined feats. they all got involved, demonstrated tremendous flexibility and worked Our men’s team reached the semi-final of the Champions League, very hard to help people get through the crisis. slipping to defeat against Bayern Munich, the eventual winner, after We are emerging stronger from this test and believe now more than giving it their all. ever that the business model we have chosen gives us the stability we Our academy also excelled, and our youth team reached the quarter- need in this world of rapid change. final stages of the Youth League. Last, but definitely not least, the Olympique Lyonnais’ women’s team continued to make history, by winning their 5th consecutive Champions League title, the 7th time overall they have won the competition. That equals the record set by Real Madrid’s men’s team in the 1950s. They are making history before our very eyes, and it’s impossible to overstate their achievement. Even the New York Times devoted page after page to the team’s extraordinary accomplishment. They also won their 14th consecutive title as champions of France, the Coupe de France and the first edition of the Trophée des Championnes. IV UNIVERSAL REGISTRATION DOCUMENT - OL GROUPE 2019/20 HAS THE OL VALLEY PROJECT BEEN AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC? We are continuing to move forward and prepare for the future. The direct tram link between metro line A and OL Valley is due to enter service on 2 November 2020. This clean and efficient transport link running year-round with a departure every 15 minutes from OL Valley station will bring us even closer to the centre of Lyon. The leisure and entertainment complex, unique in France, is due to open to the public in 2021, becoming a mainstay of our Full Entertainment ecosystem. Likewise, the 16,000-seat Arena project is progressing very well. Five years ago, we broke new ground when we moved to Lyon’s eastern suburbs. Today, the area has established itself as a strategic pillar of the Greater Lyon area and its future development. WHAT STAGE IS THE ARENA PROJECT AT? We recently completed the public consultation. Our discussions with the citizens of Lyon revealed their interest in the facility. We have listened to all the comments made to us, especially on issues such as access, the environment and social inclusiveness. By taking these criticisms on board, we will be able to shape the project to fit contemporary concerns. The consultation process was regarded as exemplary in the way community voices were listened to. We decided to keep the dialogue going so that we can forge a constructive relationship with local residents, the municipal authorities and the City as a whole. The Arena will broaden access to entertainment and to sport, dovetailing perfectly with the existing infrastructure. It will be an invaluable addition to the City of Lyon that genuinely addresses sustainable development, inclusiveness and employability concerns. WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO PREPARE FOR 2021? We need to plan ahead now for the end of the pandemic crisis. We hope to welcome fans back to stadiums in 2021 and are already making preparations. People have adopted new habits in recent months, as we are very well aware. Netflix is now our main competitor as people are now able to call up a tremendous wealth of entertainment content at the press of a button on their remote from their sofa at home. That said, the smell of a freshly mown pitch, the murmur of expectation in the crowd that builds as the home team moves forwards, and the silence of 59,000 spectators first holding their breath, then exploding with joy as the ball hits the back of the net… You will never get the same intense sensations at home, even if you put on a VR headset or use some other technology. Groupama Stadium is the only place where you can experience the thrill delivered to all your senses. UNIVERSAL REGISTRATION DOCUMENT - OL GROUPE 2019/20 V ONE OF EUROPE’S MOST SUCCESSFUL CLUBS OL CORPORATE 1950 New company 1987 Jean-Michel Aulas is named CEO of the Club. 1999 Pathé acquires a stake in OL Groupe. 2007 1st French club to be listed on the stock market 2013 Financing arranged for and ground broken on new stadium 2016 Inauguration of Groupama Stadium, France’s first 100% privately-owned stadium 2016 Groupama OL Training Center inaugurated 2016 France’s 1st mixed player academy and one of the top three in Europe 2016 IDG acquires a stake in OL Groupe. 2017 Debt refinancing completed MEN’S TEAM 1987 Promoted back to the 1st division 1991 1st qualification for a European competition 2001 Coupe de la Ligue winner 2008 7th consecutive French Ligue 1 title (2002 to 2008) 2010 Champions League semi-finalist 2012 Coupe de France winner 2019 23rd consecutive qualifications for European competition 2020 Champions League semi-finalist Coupe de la Ligue finalist Coupe de France semi-finalist VI UNIVERSAL REGISTRATION DOCUMENT - OL GROUPE 2019/20 WOMEN’S TEAM 2004 Women’s team established 2019 Trophée des Championnes (1st year) Winner 2020 14 Consecutive Division 1 titles 2007 /