French entrepreneur and esports executive Jérôme Coupez has officially joined the ownership group of French professional football club Le Mans FC.
Coupez announced the news in a LinkedIn post, saying he joined the club through NinetyTwo X, led by Jordi Mora Esteve and advised by Sana Advisory’s Cédric Lefebvre. The announcement comes just after Le Mans FC secured promotion to Ligue 1 for the 2026/27 season.
The club finished second in Ligue 2 and confirmed promotion with a 2–0 win away at Bastia on the final day of the season. In his statement, Coupez said he was proud to become part of the project and described following the team’s final games as both exciting and stressful.
Coupez is best known as the Founder and CEO of Prodigy Agency, one of the biggest esports talent management companies in the world. Some of the agency’s most famous clients are global gaming superstars. For example, they represent Team Vitality’s star player, Mathieu “ZywOo“ Herbaut, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest Counter-Strike players of all time. They also represent Tyson “TenZ“ Ngo, one of the biggest stars in the VALORANT community.
Before starting the agency, he was involved in competitive gaming as a Counter-Strike player and later worked in esports event management and marketing. Earlier in 2026, Prodigy merged with Sports Entertainment Group (SEG), bringing together traditional sports and esports talent management. His background in esports, motorsport, and sports marketing fits with Le Mans FC’s growing focus on digital entertainment and gaming.
The club’s ownership group connection to esports also comes through NXTPLAY, which was co-founded by Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who entered the French club’s ownership structure alongside international investment partners. Beyond football, Courtois has expanded his sports and gaming portfolio into the UK by partnering with the Federation of Sport to launch a £1.6 million ($2.1 million USD) gaming and sports center.
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