Première Ligue Convention: "Ligue 1... is a product in development" (Elliot Hayes, OGC Nice)

"Ligue 1 is a championship that has solid foundations, but it is a product in development. Many club owners want the league to grow and cooperation seems good between them, however all parties want to see their team win in the end," stated Elliot Hayes (USA) to News Tank Football on 29/06/2016, on the sidelines of the Convention of French Professional Football, organised by the Première Ligue, the union of top French football clubs, in Cannes (FRA) on 28 and 29/06/2016.

Elliot Hayes is part of the group of American and Chinese investors who acquired an 80% stake in OGC Nice on 10/06/2016. In addition to Hayes, this group includes the businessmen Chien Lee (CHN), Alex Zheng (CHN) and Paul Conway (USA), all specialising in tourism, hospitality, media and real estate in China and the USA. The president of OGC Nice since 2011, Jean-Pierre Rivère, retained 20% of the capital and his role as head of the club.

"We want OGC Nice to be an attractive club for a new generation of fans in China. In Europe in general, you become a fan of the club supported by your father or your mother. Young…