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Barcelona have relinquished the high moral ground, accepting €150m in sponsorship from the Qatar Foundation. Considering the huge revenue they receive in gate receipts and TV contracts, their debts should never have reached the stage where they were forced to abandon their principles.
If only they'd thought to sell next season's season tickets in advance at a discount, or asked their 100,000 members to borrow money for them.
http://beecher.biz/w/d/10.php?banner...&cb=8a30f5f76a
Mathieu Phlegmini, a young player allied to the foundation, will be the first to benefit from the sponsorship deal, and is expected to sign a trainee contract with FC Barcelona at the end of the season. :p
Did Barcelona assert the moral highground or did people just put them on a pedestal?
I mean I think Barcelona have gotten away with a lot of shady business dealings because people are so in awe of their style of football, but I don't think they deserve that sort of criticism for a shirt deal. Even allowing for the UNICEF situation, they've been making a lot of money through sponsorship by other means for a long time.
Sad to see them selling out completely.
They are still going to be wearing the UNICEF sponsor so its hardly the worst thing in the world.
I'm far from a fan of Barca but I won't hold this against them. Football is a business now, they have to keep up with that.
Top marks.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Fly
If this constitutes selling out, then they're one of the last clubs in the world to do it. I don't think that having a shirt without a sponsor ever gave them any moral high ground in the first place.
It was usually used to beat Real and supposed non-believers with amongst Barca superfans.
It's been used as a reason to admire them and now its gone those people will have to come up with something else.
I'd say their performances on the pitch will suffice.Quote:
Originally Posted by BonnieShels
Nicely zinged. Their performances on the pitch were a given I would have thought.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Fly
I had to google that.Quote:
Originally Posted by BonnieShels
Can you post a link to that effect?
The incoming UEFA Financial Fair Play Rules mean clubs can only spend what they're earning (unless benefactors contribute by way of an equity injection, rather than soft loans) if they want to play in UEFA competition. Barcelona's is a natural response to the new financial regime being imposed (correctly, imho) by UEFA. Barcelona were able to live outside usual commercial discipline because they benefitted from patronage in the past.
:embarrassed:Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
:party:
I try my best. :oQuote:
Originally Posted by The Bunk