Conference in Nice: sport as a major economic domain

On Thursday 21 March a sports conference was held on EDHEC’s Nice campus.

It addressed the topic: 2023/2024: skiing & rugby world cups and the Olympic Games.

An exceptional roundtable discussion with participation from major players in the world of sports events, analysing the challenges in sport with a view to preparing for success.

At this event, delegates had the chance to meet prestigious guest speakers including: 

• Emmanuel MÉTAIS: Dean of EDHEC
• Bernard CURZI: DDirector of the BBA EDHEC Business Management and Online programmes (Nice campus)
• Jean-Philippe LUSTYK: Managing Director of the channel i24 and sports journalist
• Michel VION: President of the French skiing federation and the Courchevel Méribel 2023 association
• François CODET: Chairman of the Steering Committee of Caisse d’Epargne Côte d’Azur, Groupe BPCE, leading partner of the Paris 2024 games
• Frédéric GIL: Director of Public Affairs on the Organising Committee for the 2023 Rugby World Cup
• Didier DESCHAMPS: France’s national football manager (pre-recorded)
• Cédric ROUSSEL: MP for the Alpes Maritimes, member of the Permanent commission for cultural affairs and education in the French National Assembly, and member of a working group on the Paris 2024 games at the National Assembly
• Corinne CALLON: Mission Performance 2024, French Sports Ministry
• Jean‐François BACHELOT: Director of events and tournaments, Moratoglou Tennis Academy, former elite athlete
• Alain GHIBAUDO: Chairman of Sport Carrière, a recruitment firm specialising in the world of sport
• Gilles PORTELLE: Chairman of Only Sports & Passions (Groupe Webedia), which specialises in sponsoring consultancy for major sports advertisers
• Cédric MESSINA: CEO and founder of My Coach Sport
• Virgile CAILLET: Agent general, Union Sport & Cycle
• Guilhem GUIRADO: Captain of the French national rugby team
• Justine TONSO: Downhill skiing world championship silver medallist, two-time European and world downhill skiing champion, cross-country mountain biking silver medallist at the French national championships, and currently in her first year of the BBA EDHEC Online programme

The roundtable discussion addressed 5 major topics:

• The emotions of champions
• How is a win secured?
• Organisation
• Impact? 
• Sport legacy?

Through these 5 topics, the aim was to understand all the mechanisms of organising sports events and the benefits they offer: 

• Regional bids to host international sports events (lobbying, geopolitical strategy, etc.)
• Organisation (role of the State, regions, big businesses, sports movements, etc.)
• Economic, social and regional impact (growth in economic activity, job creation and improved cohesion in French society)
• Legacy of such events (increased take-up of sports and improved performance in the country’s elite athletes)

The increasing success of sports events is an indication of how important it is to host and organise them – with significant benefits for the host country, both in terms of the spin-off benefits they generate and as drivers of attractiveness and regional development in the medium and long term. A wonderful opportunity for society as a whole!

These key players came together to explain the importance of a shared model combining the sports world, institutions, regions and the economic and social sectors.