Benoît Payan’s warning forces Frank McCourt to brace for higher rent
Mayor Benoît Payan has warned Olympique de Marseille owner Frank McCourt and chairman Stéphane Richard that the club’s annual rent for the Orange Vélodrome, currently between €8 million and €8.5 million, will rise, adding fresh pressure to an already delicate financial situation.
Rising stadium rent
Une statement from the mayor made clear that the municipality will give no financial assistance to the club regarding the Vélodrome lease. The warning follows a period in which Olympique de Marseille has been confronting a difficult fiscal picture, and the city refuses to lower the charge.
"Le loyer du Vélodrome ne va pas baisser. Il va augmenter et ça, l’OM le sait, c’est dans son business plan", Payan told La Provence. He stressed that the increase is non‑negotiable for Frank McCourt and Stéphane Richard.
Club’s financial tightening
In response to the mounting pressures, Frank McCourt has halted all transfer‑market spending to tighten the club’s budget. The decision comes under the watchful eyes of the DNCG and UEFA, whose oversight aims to prevent a repeat of past financial missteps.
This austerity directly affects Bruno Genesio, who now must manage a squad lacking the summer reinforcements he had hoped for. The limited personnel pool leaves the coach with few options to improve results.
Payan also argued that the rent is not the primary cause of the club’s woes, noting that "the astronomical sums spent on transfers and salaries dwarf the Vélodrome fee". He insisted that other expenditures are the real drivers of the red figures in the accounts.
The mayor rejected any idea of taxpayers subsidising the team, saying, "Ce n’est pas avec le loyer du Vélodrome qu’on va racheter de grands joueurs… Je ne ferai pas payer les Marseillais pour avoir un dixième du joueur qu’on mérite."
The new stance adds another layer of pressure on McCourt, who must now absorb higher stadium charges after already closing the transfer tap. The agreement governing the use of the Vélodrome, accepted by Olympique de Marseille’s leadership, leaves little room for the owner to contest the rise.
With sporting results already fragile due to the lack of recruitment, the financial strain continues to mount around the Phocaean club, signalling a challenging period ahead for both the board and the coaching staff.