President Bap is pumping the brakes on Flamengo‘s dream of building its own stadium at Gasômetro, prioritizing the Rubro-Negro‘s financial health and declaring: “Flamengo plays at home everywhere.”
Flamengo‘s relentless pursuit of its own stadium, a dream cherished by millions of fans, has been met with a dose of reality. Amidst growing expectations, Luiz Eduardo Baptista, known as Bap, a central figure in the club‘s board, publicly detailed the reasons why the construction project in the Gasômetro area, in the heart of Rio de Janeiro, has been temporarily halted.
Bap‘s statement, given on the _Barbacast_ podcast, not only contextualized the complexity of the undertaking but also reiterated the club‘s philosophy of prioritizing financial stability and sporting competitiveness above any investment. It’s a strategic pause, not an abandonment, reflecting the necessary caution in times of uncertain economy in Brazil.
The Voice of Financial Reason
The decision to halt the stadium plan, according to Bap, has a solid foundation: economic prudence. The significant increase in the opportunity cost of money in the Brazilian scenario has made the project unfeasible at the moment, without compromising the club‘s core principles.
“I will never build a stadium if it comes at the cost of Flamengo, turning it into a SAF (Sociedade Anônima do Futebol, a type of soccer club corporation in Brazil), or bankrupting Flamengo, or the club losing its sporting competitiveness,” the director guaranteed, in a statement that echoes the responsibility of keeping the Rubro-Negro at the top. The current cost of capital would exceed the operational margin, even with the historical financial results the club has presented.
Home Ground, Wherever They Go
Even with the project on hold, the passion of the Rubro-Negro fanbase is Flamengo‘s true asset. Bap emphasized that the club feels at home wherever it plays, showcasing the strength of its massive following.
“Flamengo plays at home in every stadium it visits. Apart from two or three places where we might play, like against Corinthians in São Paulo, or against, perhaps, another big club, Flamengo feels at home everywhere,”Bap stated, highlighting the fanbase’s impressive ability to turn any venue into a cauldron for the Most Beloved.
Furthermore, the concession of the Maracanã, valid for another 18 years, provides a period of stability and valuable time for the club to evaluate the best future conditions.
Obstacles Beyond the Field
The complexity of the stadium project extends beyond finances. Bap detailed the insurmountable technical challenges at the Gasômetro site, including the presence of a Naturgy gas station that serves 400,000 residents of Rio de Janeiro.
The removal of this infrastructure is a prerequisite, and even after decommissioning, the site would require two years of soil decontamination. Such obstacles make construction unfeasible at this time, regardless of the R$ 3 billion needed for the project. The project, though dormant, remains on the board’s radar, awaiting the alignment of various factors.
The pause in Flamengo‘s own stadium plan is, therefore, an act of responsible management. It’s not about abandoning a dream, but protecting it, ensuring that its realization does not compromise the “Grit, Love, and Passion” that drives the club on the field. With the Maracanã concession and the unrivaled strength of its fanbase, the Rubro-Negro remains strong, ready to fight for titles while awaiting the ideal moment to build its new home. The future, for the Most Beloved, always holds new glories, whether at home or in any stadium where its passionate supporters make it feel at home.
