In the first phase of the state championships, Corinthians, Palmeiras, Santos and Sao Paulo had 300,000 more fans than Botafogo, Flamengo, Fluminense and Vasco in the stands. The teams from São Paulo ended the last round before the knockout with R $ 37.9 million raised at box office and total public of 649 thousand people. Already the cariocas accumulated R $ 19.3 million revenue and 349 thousand fans in the stadium.
State public leader, Corinthians has already taken 262,000 fans to Neo Chemistry Arena. The value is higher than the amount of fans of Botafogo (33 thousand), Fluminense (80 thousand) and Vasco (100 thousand) together. For Jorge Duarte, Marketing and Sports Manager at Somos Young, a company that operates in serving club members such as Cruzeiro, Vasco, Coritiba, Penãrol and Vitória, the numbers are justified by the passion of the fans:
“The São Paulo teams take advantage of their great fans and a very solid partners base, which helps on and off the pitch. More and more becoming essential for clubs to hear, serve well and value the supporters, who are essential to the financial health of the teams. In some cases, the ST program represents annual values that are equivalent or even exceed the figures of sponsorship agreements ”, comments Jorge.
In addition to audiences and income, other factors contribute to Paulistan to be considered the most profitable state in Brazil. Issues such as the largest awards in the country (R $ 5 million), renowned stars and relevant sponsorships also explain the success of the competition, which accumulates four of the ten largest advertising agreements in the Brasileirão.
“The entry of the resources of Betting companies in Brazilian football represents a way to reinforce the country’s main sport. The values, which are becoming increasingly expressive and relevant, expand the financial power of clubs. As a result, there is more capital available to invest in infrastructure improvements, hiring new players and even in the grassroots categories, ”explains Ricardo Bianco Rosa, founder of BRMKT.CO consulting firm, which operates in strategy, branding, marketing and business development areas.
Corinthians, Sao Paulo, Santos and Palmeiras qualified for Paulistan’s knockout. In Rio de Janeiro, Flamengo finished the first phase as a leader in the classification and number of fans (134 thousand) in the stadiums. Vasco and Fluminense also advanced to the next stage of the tournament, but Botafogo was eliminated.
However, in addition to what is presented on the pitch, the experiences within the stadiums have been equally fundamental to the presence of the public. Spaces such as shops, restaurants and cabins are increasingly leading fans to arrive early on games days to enjoy the services.
“Our cabins provide a unique experience, with several attractions that go beyond 90 minutes. In addition, we offer a full service, which makes the fan who comes in a game to return several times to repeat the experience, ”says Leonardo Rizzo, CEO of Soccer Hospitality, an agency specializing in the management of cabins that is present in all four stadiums of the great Sao Paulo.
Allianz Parque, for example, makes available to their goers and activations that make the fan’s trip more profitable. Gourmet Sports Hospitality, a catering company responsible for food and beverage operation at Allianz Parque, installed a parrilla, a kind of popular barbecue in Argentina and Uruguay, in the corridors of the south goal, to bake hamburgers to the Palmeirenses.
In addition, the company also has three other establishments in the food business, the restaurants Nagairo, Braza and La Copa. The more the stadiums modernize and provide different experiences for the fans, besides the games, the more crowded the stands are.
For Tomoni Paz Ortiz, founding CEO of Imply, a reference company in technologies and stadium services, the presence of a facial recognition system is part of these trends.
“The process of experience in a soccer match begins at the entrance of the arenas. For the fan, it is essential that their integrity be guaranteed on the stadium premises. Adopting measures to make the game environment safer and healthier is critical for these fans to go back to stadiums more often, without further concerns, ”concludes Ortiz.
