Ligue 1 Brawl Causes Major Knockback for Betting Associates
A brawl between players and fans will affect Nice and Marseille’s partnerships with betting firms as they look to save face with online regulators. While Dimitri Payet was taking a corner, Nice fans threw a bottle at him; he then turned around and threw it back. This action incited a major pitch invasion from the opposing fans leading to a brawl on the pitch involving players and fans from both sides. Both sides are partnered with major betting firms, and since the incident, respective spokespeople have addressed the media on their future actions representing the clubs.
Nice and Marseille Players started an on-pitch brawl after Nice fans aggravated Dimitri Payet by throwing a bottle at him during a run-up to take a corner. Betting companies partnered with the two sides are reflecting on their business relationships with the clubs after all the recent negative press. ©jorono/Pixabay
Scenes soon turned ugly as players from both sides rushed to defend their colleagues; Alvaro Gonzalez and former Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi ran towards the South Stand to face off with opposing fans. Both players have been sanctioned by the French Football Association as well as Marseille; the story was covered extensively by national media, with the Marseille Players and Nice fans receiving the brunt of the criticism. The two Marseille players have refused to comment on the situation.
A Nice fan has since been arrested for violent conduct on the pitch of the Allianz Riviera Stadium; a 28-year-old is currently in police custody and has already received a lifetime ban from live football venues across the country. The match was eventually abandoned due to the continuing legion of Nice fans invading the pitch. Nice’s Danish striker Kasper Dolberg scored the game’s only goal before the referee halted the fixture shortly after.
Bet365 are currently partnered with both sides in a deal that lasts until the 2024/25 season. They’re expected to continue their long and fruitful relationship despite all the negative media attention both clubs receive. Several other international firms are shareholders in the respective teams, including Vbet and other large football media firms. Although past his best these days, Dimitri Payet shone in his Premier League outing during his two-season stint at iconic London club, West Ham United.
Nice is set to undergo a thorough investigation to discover the culprits behind the major pitch invasion during the second half of the match. While an individual has been arrested, several other suspects have been identified as a group of fans are assumed to have caused the major stampede. The South Stand has been temporarily closed to prevent any fans involved from re-entering the stadium during their next fixture. The French FA initially described the incident as a serious violation of spectator rights.
Ligue 1 In Danger of Revoking Gambling Partnership Rights
Following recent events, the French FA is considering reprogramming their original advertising bill passed during the 1990s. Gambling in marketing is common in France. The governing bodies adopt a liberal attitude towards these issues, often referred to as Laissez-faire (Do nothing). While betting advertisement regulation remains an important issue in Europe, several countries have fully illegalized sportsbook advertising during live sporting events. Due to a younger viewing audience, further filtering of marketing materials prevents the exploitation of vulnerable viewers.
The French Football League will bring in new security measures to prevent any similar fan outbreaks in future league fixtures. Extraneous efforts were made to avoid any rioting or security breaches during the unveiling of Lionel Messi to PSG fans. PSG recently partnered with Playbetr, a Latin sportsbook popular in Mediterranean Europe, and they maintain several gambling partnerships with international firms such as BetVictor, Bet365 and Betfred.
Marseille have several betting partnerships and are worried that the French FA may revoke the right to partner with online sportsbooks. Other clubs also have big financial stakes in betting agreements as they are the most financially rewarding on offer to sports teams. Leagues across Europe are struggling with the same debate. Premier League officials recently decided to maintain current sponsorship regulations to ensure clubs could properly finance themselves before the new season.
