Flamengo and Fluminense: The New Owners of Maracanã

In 2024, Flamengo and Fluminense took a giant step by signing a 20-year contract to manage the famous Maracanã Complex. But hold on, this isn’t just about organizing matches, you know? The president of Vasco has already promised to challenge all of this, and the fight is sure to be a good one!

What’s at Stake?

This contract covers both the Maracanã and the Maracanãzinho. Normally, you’d think that owning a piece of the Maracanã is nothing but fun, but the responsibilities are heavy. Preserving the venue and ensuring everything works properly is the job of the duo! Flamengo, for example, holds 65% of the company responsible for the concession, while Fluminense has 35%. That means their finances and revenues are split according to that proportion.

Money in Your Pocket (or Not)

Now, here’s the key detail: the duo committed to paying R$ 20,06 million per year to the state, which works out to an average of about R$ 1,67 million per month. In the “cake-cutting,” Flamengo will receive R$ 13,04 million, while Fluminense gets R$ 7,02 million.

And it doesn’t stop there! They also have a plan to maintain the complex, which will cost an additional R$ 22 million per year. In the end, the sum of their obligations could reach R$ 60 million annually, including electricity and personnel costs. To give you an idea, that amounts to about 12 million dollars or 10,7 million euros.

Long-Term Works and Maintenance

In addition, the clubs promised an investment of R$ 393 million in works and maintenance over 20 years. That averages out to R$ 19,65 million per year. Remember, it isn’t a fixed amount every year and it involves various maintenance and improvements—such as taking care of the newly replaced pitch, water systems, and even the Football Museum.

How to Make the Money Come In?

The complex is expected to generate revenue from multiple sources such as boxes, advertising, parking, and events. But for that to actually happen, strong management is required. And if you think that’s easy, let me tell you: running a place like that is no small task! Not to mention that unforeseen events can happen, like during the pandemic, when the stadium had no spectators and still had to cover expenses.

A Look to the Future

If the government of the state of Rio de Janeiro were in charge of everything, it would be the one responsible for covering the Maracanã’s bills, which can reach R$ 39,9 million per year, not counting other expenses.

The concession gives the clubs the responsibility to manage the venue, while the state only needs to oversee it and receive the concession fee. Vasco’s president, Pedrinho, has already made it clear that he won’t let this slide and intends to challenge the bidding process.

What If Something Goes Wrong?

It’s also good to remember that the concession can be ended before 20 years, but only in specific situations, such as if the duo fails to meet its payment obligations or doesn’t carry out the promised works. And changing the governor isn’t a sufficient reason to cancel the contract!

So, let’s keep an eye on this storyline, because the future of the Maracanã and Rio clubs should bring a lot of excitement!