yes to everything The economic situation of Barça, marked in the last two financial years by the sale of assets – popularly known as levers – in order to obtain green numbers, once again received the pleasure of the compromise partner. Also the future, with a very ambitious budget for the 2023-2024 season. Already without leverage, Barcelona aspires to enter 859 million, compared to the 1,259 million it invoiced last campaign. Ambilight TV will help in this process, the new shirt sleeve sponsor for the next four years, extendable until the 2028-2029 season and which will provide technological synergies for the future Camp Nou. Everything was approved with a maximum of 462 affiliated members connected out of the 4,451 convened at the fourth telematic assembly in the club’s history.
Breaking down the numbers, the 2022-2023 financial year was approved with net profits of 304 million euros and operating income of 1,259 million.
These positive figures are explained, as recognized by the economic vice-president Eduard Romeu, by the extraordinary income of the 400 million that Sixth Street Partners paid to the entity for 15% of the LaLiga television rights of the first men’s football team during the next twenty-five years. This fund from the United States already acquired, at the time, a further 10% of the same television rights in exchange for 267.5 million.
The other operation is the sale of 51% of Barça Studios, 49% of which is in the hands of private investment advisers NIPA Capital, Socios.com, Orpheus Media and Libero, which is pending payment of 40 million. In view of this non-payment, the board had to guarantee (again) 12 million to register players. Without these operations, the club would have recorded a loss of 200 million.
One of the issues that most worries the board is the debt, which amounts to 1,200 million, according to the entity and without Espai Barça. “When we arrived the debt was 1,350 million”, claimed Romeu. The vice president also explained the item of expenses, which amounts to 1,165 million, 100 more than budgeted. In view of the concern of the mediators, Romeu detailed that the 171 million “other expenses”, which have increased by 67 million, correspond to concepts such as losses in transfers such as Griezmann’s, which they intended to sell for 40 million to Atlético de Madrid. Finally there were 20.
With a view to a future, already without levers, Barça’s budget for the season aspires to enter 859 million. In this complicated company, there is the objective of reducing the sports cost (salaries and amortization) by 184 million euros, which is currently 676, the highest in the last six years. The goal is to place it at 492 million -416 from the first team-. It would be the lowest figure in the last eight years.
In the income chapter, the board hopes to compensate for the 78 million that it will no longer receive due to its move to Montjuïc by entering 28 million in the Champions League, as long as the team reaches the quarter-finals. Another 27 million are also planned thanks to sponsorships. The partner gave the yes to Ambilight TV which, beyond sponsoring the shirt sleeve of the men’s first team, will participate in the future Spotify Camp Nou. “We cannot reveal the figures of the agreement. We have a confidentiality clause”, emphasized Juli Guiu, vice president of marketing. “According to Global Data, our shirt is the most valued. I am asking for an act of faith,” said Laporta. They gave it to him.
Almost ten hours later, the assembly ended with 178 members connected, 3 connections in English and the speech of former president Joan Gaspart asking for a meeting with Laporta, Bartomeu and Rosell regarding the Negreira case. He also requested that the assembly be face-to-face again. “We will do it this way”, promised the president.
