Barcelona to sell title rights of Camp Nou to raise funds for COVID-19 battle
Barcelona's home stadium - Camp Nou
Barcelona are set to sell their title rights for one year in a bid to raise funds for the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. Interestingly, Barcelona’s home stadium, Camp Nou – one of the biggest stadiums in Europe with more than 99,000 seating capacity, has never had a title sponsor since it was inaugurated in 1957.
Barcelona vice-president Jordi Cardoner, who recovered after contracting the dreaded COVID-19, revealed that the club is providing very quick response to raise funds during an emergency situation. The Spanish giants had plans to sell the stadium’s title rights in the 2023-24 season in a hope to bring 300 million Euros for a 25-year-old contract to pay for the renovation of the stadium and other facilities.
“We want to send a universal message: For the first time someone will have the opportunity to put their name on Camp Nou and the revenues will go to all of humanity, not just Barca,” club vice president Jordi Cardoner was quoted as saying.
“The initiative arose in an emergency situation. We think that we have to have a very quick response, putting our crown jewel at the service (of the fight).?”
Cardoner further said if possible sponsors for the one-year-deal want to include the prospect of a long-term deal then Barcelona would consider it while adding that the Blaugrana want to listen to offers with whom they could team up and provide more funds to combat the coronavirus.
“Camp Nou is sending out an S.O.S.,” Cardoner said.
“We are open to everything. We want to maximize economic participation and to ensure that the partners share our same social values.”
The stadium will maintain the name ‘Camp Nou’ in addition to including the sponsor, the club said.
After Barcelona finds a new sponsor, the decision will then have to be approved by a general assembly of club members of around 140,000 – which is likely to be held in October.
Meanwhile, more than 20,000 people have died in Spain, a death toll second only to the United States.