Overview

Ahead of the Heineken Champions Cup Semi-Final at the Matmut Atlantique Stadium in Bordeaux, CTM Sport managed the logistics and coordinated and booked all charter flights and accommodation for the Exeter Chiefs Men’s team, their management, and VIPs with charter flights.

Challenges

With the fixture location only confirmed 20 days before the semi-final kick-off, CTM Sport was faced with a tight turnaround to deliver the right travel solutions for the team travel. During this short time, CTM Sport needed to source suitable accommodation for 50 people that also had onsite function space for private dining, meeting rooms, and space to set up equipment for physio treatment. In addition, travel from Exeter to Bordeaux posed a significant challenge as there are limited commercial flights and few charter options available resulting from reduced crews.

Solutions

Specialist preferred partner hotels: CTM Sport leveraged long-standing relationships with preferred hotel suppliers and their specialist sports divisions to locate and secure suitable hotels in Bordeaux. CTM Sport ensured the hotels had experience working with professional sports teams, had enough availability, and were able to hold the space until the location of the fixture was confirmed.

Seamless communication for no-delay bookings: CTM Sport established and maintained strong lines of communication with the club, which enabled quick and informed decision-making ensuring their preferred options were secured.

Experienced charter brokers: The club was presented with several options and used our expertise to advise them on which would be the best option for their requirements.

Flexibility for risk mitigation: Choosing charter flights allowed for a greater level of flexibility when submitting manifests and selecting departure times with changes allowed up to the day of travel. This meant CTM Sport was well-positioned to handle any unforeseen last-minute changes such as injury replacements and could choose the team’s best departure and arrival timings.

Results

CTM Sport successfully delivered return team travel from Exeter to Bordeaux, allowing the team and management to focus on the most important elements of any major sports competition – nutrition, training, and peak performance for the fixture.

Working closely with our preferred suppliers meant we could ensure the final arrangements would be seamless and could guarantee the best possible service for every aspect of the trip.