Football In Paris, And A Rapids Move

Things have been quiet here largely due to the fact that I've been on vacation.  Part of that vacation included a chance to catch a match but before we get to that we do have one piece of Rapids news, namely a trade.

Colorado sent Andrew Gutman to Chicago in exchange for $450K in GAM and left-back Miguel Navarro.

From a bottom line that's a decent move.  We traded $400K of GAM plus an international spot for the rest of last season to Atlanta to get Gutman in July.  So essentially we broke even on GAM, got 1000 minutes out of him, and got Navarro for free.

Overall though, moving one of the few pieces that looked like a MLS starter is not the way I wanted to see the offseason moves start.  Our track record for using GAM recently isn't great, and Navarro seems like a bit of a loose cannon in defending so I don't see how this made us better.

Now on to a more interesting discussion.  I spent last week on vacation in Paris, and on Tuesday night I made time to go see Paris FC play Rodez.  Paris FC is currently the second most successful club in Paris metro, behind the powerhouse of Paris Saint-Germain (and the only other professional team other than PSG to be playing inside Paris' city limits).  Interestingly the original Paris FC merged with Stade Saint-Germain in 1970 to form  PSG.  Two years later Paris FC split off from PSG after the latter was not getting support from the city of Paris due to being based outside the city limits in  Saint-Germain-en-Laye.  Paris FC originally kept the first division status and the professional players, but in the 50 years since PSG has gone on to become a top 10-15 team in the world while Paris FC has struggled in the lower divisions.  Paris FC first started playing at Parc des Princes but surrendered that ground to PSG when they were relegated (at the same time PSG was promoted to Ligue 1).  Paris FC would get back to Ligue 1 for one season in the late 70's but has not seen the top-flight since then while PSG has never been relegated since they made it to the top tier.

Paris FC has been as low as the 5th division but has been in Ligue 2 for the last seven seasons.  This year they're sitting in 10th, 5 points from a playoff spot.  Their opponents last week were Rodez who sit right above them in 9th.  PFC play at Stade Charléty in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, a 20K seat venue that's best known for hosting multiple Rugby World Cup games.  There's also a venue below the stadium where Paris' top pro volleyball teams plays.

For this season Paris FC is the first European team to give away essentially all of its tickets.  In order to increase support everything but the VIP level tickets are free for all league matches.  About a week before the game I just went on the website and picked my seat and paid absolutely nothing.  It also worked out that where we were staying in Paris was around the corner from a bus route that terminated at the stadium so all I had to do was take a 12 minute bus ride to get to the game.  Here's the view walking up to Stade Charléty:

Once I got in the gates I found a nice stadium that had been recently renovated, but it was clearly a municipal stadium that PFC uses, not a PFC stadium.  Everything Paris FC related was in the form of things that could easily be put up and taken down as the stadium is used for other events.  There was no club shop, just a club van that sold kits, jackets, and scarves (I bought a kit and a scarf for my collections).  The pregame fan zone was all portable things that could easily be set up and taken down, and the banners and logos in the main arena weren't permanently attached.  That said it was a good family friendly environment and everyone was having a good time.  Plus I found somebody that clearly shares an ancestor with Rapidman:

Once I got to my seat I found that it had a similar feel to a midweek Open Cup game at the Dick.  A small but loyal fanbase in a much larger stadium.  With the exception of the travelling Rodez supporters all the fans were on one sideline (looking at the highlights later I realize we were all facing the camera used for the streaming coverage).  There's also a track around the field so fans are a bit of a distance from the field.  Here's the view from my 4th row seat:

There was a vocal supporters group in the second deck, as well as a decent travelling contingent from Rodez:

The game itself was enjoyable to watch, with the home side scoring in the first minute, then following up with one of the great goals I've seen live.  Pierre-Yves Hamel scored the first goal and in the 23rd minute he dispossessed Rodez at midfield, looked up and saw the keeper off his line, and took a shop from the midfield stripe.  He managed to place the ball just under the bar to give the Parisians a two goal lead, which they would hang on to through the end of the match.

This makes the third European country that I've seen a lower-league game in (Spain, Tenerife vs. Malaga; England, Blackburn twice and Wealdstone vs. Dulwich Hamlet) and I've enjoyed everyone.  Obviously the big spectacle is a PSG game (they didn't play at home while I was in PAris) but I prefer seeing the smaller teams.  Plus its cheaper!

Here's the highlights from the game.  If you pause it at 9 seconds that group of white seats on the right, 3rd row, I'm the one on the aisle.