Marcelo Claure, CEO of telecommunication company Brightstar and partner of Barcelona in the Miami-MLS Project (read more here), gave an interview to Spanish football weekly paper Don Balón.
How did the whole idea about Barcelona having a team in the US begin?
Everything started eight months ago when we signed a cooperation agreement between Bolívar, my club in Bolivia, and Barcelona, the first agreement of that kind that Barcelona signed with a latin-american team. We agreed to send Spanish coaches to Bolivia to talk with our technical staff and to send Bolivian players to Barcelona to have specific training.
And that's when the idea of a new club came to life...
Well, I got to know Joan Laporta, who I consider to be a real leader, a very creative and persistent man. We immediately had a connection and that's when we started to have the idea about a Barcelona team in Miami.
How much money is needed for this Barça-USA project?
My company will invest 40 million dollar, which is the fee that is asked by the MLS for a team to be accepted to take part in the professional American league. Besides that, we're trying to collect another 10 million dollar through an investment fund, which should help us through the first year in the league.
You're not afraid you could lose all that money in a risky adventure?
Why? We shouldn't be so pessimistic! And we shouldn't focus on the history either, with some clubs in Florida having disappeared due to a lack of success. They disappeared because a lot of mistakes were made. Miami Fusion, for example, didn't play in Miami but in Fort Lauderdale, where you have more Americans than latinos.
So you think that football in the US has potential?
Nowadays, football in the United States has matured a lot. The country had the most television viewers during the World Cup in 2006. And the most important thing: Barcelona is a registered trademark that has proven to be succesfull all around the world.
You mean that the name 'Barça' will fill the stadiums...
Of course. We'll have a nice stadium at the FIU, the international university of Florida, in Miami, with a capacity af around 20 000 people.
You're very optimistic...
There's a lot of interest for football in Miami, because now we have more residents from Latin America, and not only from Cuba. Barça-USA will be a team of argentinians, uruguayans, colombians, hondurans, brazilians, peruvians, bolivians... The team of everyone who loves spectacular football.
When will the MLS take its decision?
In the third or the last week of November. I'm quite optimistic because it would be a mistake if the MLS would let the chance go by to link a team with such a great history to its professional league. Barça-USA isn't the same thing as a team called 'United Latinos USA'.
When will Barça-USA start if the MLS accepts the bid?
The francise starts in 2011, but the next objective will be to convince the MLS that we're already ready to start in 2010.
You think that this project will stimulate other European teams to get involved in the MLS?
I've heard that many European clubs, amongst which Italian and German clubs, are waiting to see what happens with Barça-USA. If it will be a success, and it will be, there's no doubt that we will have an AC Milan or a Bayern Munich in the MLS in 2012 or 2013.
In an interview with The New York Times, Thierry Henry said that he would like to go and live in the US, and maybe even in Miami. Will he be one of the star players of Barça-USA?
That could well be the case, but there's nothing official yet. But I can confirm that he's not the only key player of Barcelona who dreams about playing in the MLS. There are several players on the list, although I can't give you any names.
Is it true that you also would like to buy a club in Spain?
Let's go step by step. I'm analyzing two or three teams, not only in Spain but also in other European countries. I already own Bolívar in Bolivia, soon we'll have the team with Barcelona and after that, I'll come to Europe.
Football is a business like is selling mobile phones?
If it wasn't a business, I would stay quiet in my office and watch the games on the television.
Read more:
Barcelona wants to be part of American league
Henry could leave for Miami in 2010
FCB Miami: Weighing the seven bids
Tuesday, 18 November 2008
FCB Miami: Interview with Barcelona partner Claure
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8 comments:
Very good move by Barcelona, specially having a team in Bolivia and other south America countries, it will boost the youth system even more, aside of the marketing returns.
pst if the project worked in Miami, I think this guy will not be able to buy a club in Spain any more, Conflict of interests.
aren't they alienating themselves from the general Americans? if you keep focussing on Latinos, ya you will get their support, but is that enough to attract other people in America..because they would have to be the major contributors if this is to be succeeded..I hope its not another Chivas USA type of franchise..
I think the latino part is what will make this team a succes... As you can read in the text, there was a miami fusion in Fort lauderdale... A place where the majority where 'white' americans... This team didn't succeed...
On the other hand miami is filled with latinos, so it isn't suprising that they are directing all their attention to them...
I think that this team can be a great succes... They might attract more fans than in miami alone... I wonder wether the latinos from other parts of the country will visit the matches of barca-USA when they visit their town...
I am not from the US so i cant tell for sure but it seems they still hesitate to go all the way supporting this sport, as if they feel it may dominate and effect the popularity of Baseball and Basketball, which is more a national pride.
Lot of things will decide the possibility of success including the economic levels of the Latinos this team depending on to progress, and Mat raised a serious concern that this new team need to study the Chivas USA case carefully and learn some lessons, even though Barcelona USA may have an added value if they signed some of the big (expired)names of Barcelona Fc.
That's what I was saying Mohamedh.. I seriously doubt how much money they can make by just focusing on one small group among American people (and not the wealthiest I might add) ... if they can have some recognized player like Henry etc., and get some local talent in that'll be great ..and not just focus on Latinos... most of all they should get a youth system going...if America can get some internationals out of there, then it is definitely going to be massive....
Bloody capitalists should keep their fitlthy hands away from football and stick to destroyng the world and our economy instead, because they are som much better at it.
@ Pep: Something very funny happened. I dont know if you did this on purpose but I dont think so. You probably are so accustomed to write this succession of letter b a r c e l o n a that you transformed the name Marcelo in Marcelona :))
I'm sure the guy likes it... :)
Thanks, changed that!
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