Originally created in of charity, the popularity of the calendars has been credited for the increased fame of the Stade Français team, as well as rugby in general, in . The calendars are part of a marketing strategy crafted by Max Guazzini, President of the rugby club. A savvy marketer who built the NRJ Radio group, he has successfully used the calendars to attract a new audience to rugby matches (live and on TV), such as women.