Big screen promotion? Paris FC invites fans to a giant cinema for its decisive match

PARIS (AP) — Paris FC did not want any fans missing out on watching a match to secure promotion to the French league’s top flight.

So the club invited them to view Friday night’s game at a famed Paris concert hall.

Paris FC is in second place in Ligue 2 and playing at Martigues, where a win guarantees promotion for Paris FC and sets up a mouth-watering derby against Ligue 1 champion Paris Saint-Germain next season.

But Martigues is about 800 kilometers (500 miles) away and tickets are scarce for away fans.

So the club invited those not making the long trip to take a shorter one across the city to the Grand Rex, a much-loved Paris venue that also has seven cinema screens — the biggest of which holds 2,700 seats.

“Paris FC invites you to share in a unique evening,” the club posted on X on Wednesday. “R​endez-vous at @LeGrandRex to support our players against Martigues on a giant screen. We await you (wearing) blue and white to experience this penultimate round (of the season) together.”

Message received.

Two hours after the message, all the places were taken.

Located in the vibrant Grands Boulevards district among restaurants and bars and near the iconic République square in central Paris, the Grand Rex was voted as the world’s most beautiful cinema by Time Out earlier this year.

The venue opened in 1932 and recently was restored with its original façade to coincide with its 90th birthday.

Paris FC has big ambitions after being purchased by France’s richest family, the Arnaults of luxury empire LVMH.

The new-found wealth could make Paris FC a potential challenger to Qatari-owned PSG in years to come.

The club’s presence in Ligue 1 would also give Parisian soccer fans a much-needed local city rivalry as enjoyed by Madrid, Rome, Barcelona, Milan and Manchester. ___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer