Première Ligue Convention: "Marseille back among the best would be great for Ligue 1" (F. McCourt)

"To grow the media product in France, and this is me being honest about sports in general, the big clubs have to do well. This is the nature of many sports leagues. The biggest clubs drive the interest. I want this league (Ligue 1) to compete with the best, and I want to OM to be among the best. And I think OM being back among the best - where the club belongs - would also be great for the league," said Frank McCourt, owner of Olympique de Marseille (Ligue 1 Conforama), at the first day of the Première Ligue Convention of French professional football in Cannes (FRA) on 27/06/2016.

The American businessman, who owned the MLB franchise the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2004 to 2012, announced a "long term commitment" to OM on 29/08/2016 (the acquisition of the club was finalised at a later date), where he will invest from his family business, McCourt Global LP, of which he is the sole shareholder.

"One thing I don't understand here (in France), and I know I'm over-simplifying this, is that the basic business model of selling your best talent every year is contradictory to competing at a…