What should be done by the club is to clean up its accounts. Greater rationalization of the club’s management could have a notable effect of gaining credibility, causing more and better partners to approach the club to negotiate contracts. On the revenue side, in the last six years there has been a significant increase in values, but there is still room for improvement.
Renato Augusto Ricarti da Silva
Costa, on the other hand, believes that a specific fundraising campaign can be more effective than small monthly donations. “Because in the long term, people stop contributing,” he says. For Cesar Grafietti, there are different factors that can contribute to the success of the venture.
Normally, crowdfunding is processes related to stimulation so that more structured solutions emerge. And, obviously, eventual success depends on several factors, ranging from the objective to the value of the cause, including the average income of the country and the fans. There are some cases that seem like better structured crowdfunding, such as a crowdfunding that Watford, an English 2nd division club, is raising. The idea is to sell part of the controlling interest to participants.
There is the case of Clivense, from the Italian 5th division, which launched crowdfunding to start the club and managed to achieve the goal. There are others, but always in amounts much smaller than Neo Química Arena’s R$700 million debt. Vasco has already gone through a similar fundraising process for the construction of the CT and it had a positive aspect.
Cesar Grafietti, economist and sports management consultant
Numbers by social class
According to the Datafolha survey in 2023, Corinthians has the second largest fans in Brazil with 15%. Flamengo leads with 21%.
The Curious Case of Football Finances
Ladies and gentlemen, gather ’round! Let’s delve into the stunningly riveting world of sports accounting. What a nail-biter, right? We’re not talking about watching paint dry, we’re talking about cleaning up the accounts of a football club. It’s like spring cleaning but with less dust and a million-dollar dividends—who wouldn’t want that?
According to one Renato Augusto Ricarti da Silva Costa, the club’s accountant could gain instant credibility just by tidying up a bit. I mean, if my sock drawer can look presentable, so can your multi-million-euro ledger, right? If only the ghosts of mismanaged finances could be swept under the rug as easily as I hide my empty cereal boxes from guests.
Now, it appears that our friend Cesar Grafietti—a bona fide economist and sports management consultant—has his finger on the pulse of sports economics. He suggests that a robust fundraising campaign could be more beneficial than those pesky small monthly donations. You know, those annoying commitments where people forget after two months, unveiling their inner commitment issues. “In the long term, people stop contributing,” he remarks, which is more entertaining than a soap opera plot twist!
The Crowdfunding Conundrum
Our pal Grafietti has also dropped a truth bomb about crowdfunding and its hiccups, revealing that the success of such campaigns is about as stable as an amateur tightrope walker. It relies on everything from the mission statement to what people have in their pockets—and let’s face it, with the rising cost of living, most of us could barely afford a cup of coffee, let alone propping up our local football club!
However, we’ve seen some shining examples in the football world, like good old Watford. They’re diving headfirst into a crowdfunding initiative which seeks to sell part of their controlling stake to fans. Imagine that—a club so desperate they’re opening the doors to the fanbase like a true “take a seat, we all own this” party.
And what about Clivense, a football team in Italy’s 5th division, which launched a crowdfunding campaign that actually succeeded? They managed to achieve their goal faster than I can say “offside rule”! But let’s not get too excited here; their fundraising efforts were a tad less monumental compared to the jaw-dropping R$700 million debt at Neo Química Arena. That’s like buying a lifetime supply of pizza and finding out you can’t even pay the delivery guy!
Crunching the Numbers
Now, let’s bring in the numbers shall we? Hold onto your hats! According to a Datafolha survey in 2023, Corinthians boasts a 15% fan share in Brazil. That puts them firmly in second place, trailing behind Flamengo, who apparently has a fanbase that seems to be multiplying faster than rabbits during spring, sitting at 21%. I don’t know about you, but that’s some serious fan loyalty!
In summary, ladies and gents, if football clubs want to win more than just games on the pitch, they need to forge ahead with cleaner finances, enticing campaigns, and innovative ideas that tickle the fancy of their fanbase. After all, as fans, we’re far too good at turning up on match day, let’s show up with the cash too!
