ATTENTION! CLUB OFFICER, STATES ABOUT POSSIBLE PURCHASE OF MARACANÃ BY FLAMENGO

Flamengo's Vice President of Marketing, Gustavo Oliveira, shared his vision about the possibility of the club acquiring Maracanã as its own stadium. In an interview with Máquina do Esporte, he argued that Maracanã represents an ideal solution, despite recognizing the improbability of this scenario. According to Oliveira, Maracanã is a beautiful stadium that meets the conceptual criteria of a World Cup arena. Its privileged location, wide acceptance among fans and transport accessibility make it an attractive option.

The director highlighted that, although there is a gap in relation to parking, this issue could be resolved through future investments. However, he emphasized that, if he had the opportunity to choose, he would choose to buy Maracanã. In Gustavo Oliveira's view, this acquisition would benefit the government, Flamengo and Rio de Janeiro football as a whole, allowing more than R$1 billion to be invested in areas such as education and health.

Although the purchase of Maracanã is seen as unlikely, Flamengo is actively participating in the bidding for the concession of the stadium for 20 years. If the club wins this bid, the intention is to treat Maracanã as if it were its own home. Flamengo's vice-president of Marketing emphasized that, with a long-term concession, the club would have the opportunity to implement the necessary changes to improve the stadium. This would include the creation of a popular ticket sector, an initiative that aims to make football more accessible to the fan base.

According to Gustavo Oliveira, Maracanã currently has an unfavorable distribution of cheap tickets, making it difficult to allocate specific areas for fans on a limited budget. However, he emphasized that a 20-year concession would open up the possibility of exploring new sources of revenue for Flamengo at the Maracanã. Flamengo's acquisition of Maracanã is seen as strategic, not only to improve the team's home performance, but also to strengthen the club's fan membership program and seek naming rights agreements, in addition to collecting valuable data about fans.

In relation to the investments and revenues that Flamengo could obtain with the stadium, Gustavo Oliveira preferred not to go into details, mentioning that there is a study group dedicated to this issue. He highlighted the positive partnership with Fluminense, which has worked together to explore all possibilities related to Maracanã. Flamengo's vice-president also mentioned the price taken to extend the club's stay at the stadium for another year, before 20-year tender. This decision is being handled by a special working group, once again highlighting the productive collaboration between Flamengo and Fluminense.

As part of the management of Maracanã, Flamengo and Fluminense must present their proposal to keep the stadium in good condition. 2024, in an attempt to ensure its continuity. However, Vasco da Gama is seeking to challenge the public call notice, casting an element of uncertainty over the process. In short, Gustavo Oliveira's vision reveals the strategic importance of Maracanã for Flamengo, even if the acquisition of the stadium could be a distant scenario. The club is committed to improving the stadium and making it more accessible to fans, while seeking opportunities to increase its revenue and presence in the sports market.