French Ligue 1 football club Olympique Lyonnais has ended a partnership with transportation network company Uber amid the threat of action from local taxi firms.
Lyon struck the deal with Uber last month to coincide with its move to the new Parc Olympique Lyonnais stadium, which opened earlier in January. The partnership commenced on January 24 ahead of the club’s home game against Olympique de Marseille.
Lyon supporters were able to utilise the partnership to travel to and from the game, which finished 1-1, in an Uber taxi.
However, the deal has proved controversial with local taxi firms having proposed action to limit access to the stadium for Wednesday’s Ligue 1 game against Girondins de Bordeaux. This prospect has now been avoided following talks involving the club, local authorities and the French taxi union, but Lyon has been forced to drop its partnership with Uber.
“This agreement with the Lyonnais taxis ends the discussions initiated at first with the Uber company,” Lyon said in a statement.
Uber in November entered into a similar partnership with NFL American football franchise the Jacksonville Jaguars, but the Lyon deal was its first such agreement in the European market.