Published on July 7th, 2026
Location: France
Le Havre AC Appoints SPORTFIVE as Exclusive Marketing Rights Partner
Paris, 7 July 2026 – Le Havre Athletic Club (HAC) has signed a strategic partnership with SPORTFIVE, makign it the exclusive agency for all of the club's commercial rights. The agreement marks the start of a new chapter in the commercial development of the "Ciel & Marine" as they continue their journey in Ligue 1.
The Oldest Football Club in France - More Alive Than Ever
Passion, resilience, and pride in Le Havre: for more than 150 years, Le Havre Athletic Club has embodied these values with remarkable consistency. The oldest football club in France, a six-time French second division champion and a Coupe de France winner, HAC has stood the test of time without ever losing its identity. From the pitches of the Cavée Verte to the CMA CGM Océane Stadium, the "Ciel & Marine" continue to write their story on their own terms with determination, unity, and ambition.
Back in Ligue 1 since 2023, the club has held its place among France's elite in every season since its return, playing in front of passionate crowds at the 25,000-seat CMA CGM Océane Stadium. Its academy, known as "Made in Cavée", remains a benchmark in player development: Riyad Mahrez, Pape Gueye, Ferland Mendy and Brice Samba all wore the sky-blue and navy shirt before making their mark on the international stage. Since Blue Crow Sports Group acquired the club in 2025, HAC has entered a new era, one defined by a new level of ambition.
From the 2026–27 season, SPORTFIVE will manage the commercialisation of all the club's marketing rights, including partnerships, hospitality, image rights, and activations involving the teams and players.
Across all these areas, SPORTFIVE will mobilise its Marketing, Sponsorship, Activation, Business Intelligence and Digital teams to build a strategy tailored to the club's unique identity, the evolving expectations of brands, and the full potential of what HAC has to offer.
Le Havre Athletic Club is a club with a strong identity, a defined territory, and a reputation for developing top international players, as well as a rich history. It is exactly the kind of partner with whom we like to create value: by building a commercial offering that makes sense for clubs, brands, and fans.
Xavier Oddone, Managing Director - SPORTFIVE
"The partnership between HAC and SPORTFIVE marks a new step in the development of the club and its brand. HAC has many strengths to showcase and, under the leadership of its shareholder Blue Crow Sports Group, aims to continue growing and structuring itself while preserving its values and unique identity. This collaboration will notably help strengthen the club's revenues while ensuring that the satisfaction of our partners remains optimal at all times. We are delighted to rely on SPORTFIVE's expertise, network, and experience, and we are entering this new collaboration with great enthusiasm." Yacine Alaoui, Managing Director of Le Havre Athletic Club
For SPORTFIVE, this partnership further strengthens its footprint in Ligue 1, a league whose appeal continues to grow season after season. HAC joins a network of rights holders that allows the agency to offer brands coherent activation strategies, both within the league and beyond.
For HAC, the partnership provides access to a proven commercial platform, combining expertise, network, and tools in support of a sporting project that deserves to be valued at its full worth. The goal is not simply to sell rights, but to bring the right partners together around an ambitious project, build lasting relationships, and establish HAC as a leading partnership platform in the sponsorship market.
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About SPORTFIVE
SPORTFIVE is a global sports marketing agency that delivers customer-centric solutions based on trust and transparency, deep industry experience and global relationships, digital intelligence and innovation. SPORTFIVE strategically and creatively connects brands, rightsholders, media platforms and fans to create and enable contemporary partnerships in sports.
While creating and growing long-term value for all, SPORTFIVE often leads the sports business into the future through innovative digital solutions and strives to be the most progressive and respected partner in sports.
Being at the centre of professional sport SPORTFIVE will use its unique position, in order to make a positive contribution to sustainability and to live up to the social and economic duty and responsibility, which sport and consequently all parties involved, also have. SPORTFIVE operates with a global mindset and network of over 1,200 local experts based in 15 countries around the world, active in Football, Golf, Handball, Motorsport, Esports, Cricket, Tennis, American Football, Basketball, Hockey, Rugby, Olympics and Multi-Sport Events, Wintersports and many more.
Press contacts
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Manon Le Clair
Communication Officer
manon.leclair@sportfive.com +33644365373
