In a time when many of the top clubs have no sponsor and many others depend on state investment, Palmeiras, the Brazilian club and 2014 champions, managed to sell all areas of their shirt to the private sector and reach 11 million pounds in revenue - only advertising, regardless of the provision of sporting equipment. The deal has a name and surname: Jose Roberto Lamacchia. More than 8.8 million pounds has been invested by two companies belonging to the businessman and club supporter.
Paulo Nobre and Paulo Gregoraci, Palmeiras chairman and marketing chief officer, took advantage of the excitement created in all of the club's fans due to the start of the season, the new and beautiful stadium and many big signings, to make the entrepreneur increase his financial contribution, even before seeing the results.
One of the companies had already committed £5 million of its budget to purchase the larger space on the, chest and back of the shirt and will now make a new contribution to also acquire the small space below the front collar.
This additional negotiation has a reason. When television cameras 'crop' the player in flash interviews, the brand in the chest disappears. So the company decided to invest more money in the club in order to keep the space that is visible when a player scores a goal, for example. That is why other two brands each got a sleeve and a shoulder. It is unusual in Football, but allows the three brands to be exposed in close-ups.
So far, one company paid £5 million a year for chest and back; another £1million for the two shoulders and another half a million pounds for the number interior.
It is certain that Palmeiras, after several seasons without sponsors, today publicly exposed the 11 million pounds earned with their shirt deal. There is much similarity to the 2012 Corinthians. At that time the rival team, boosted by Ronaldo, managed to agree a deal worth more than 8 million pounds with just one sponsor. Other companies with smaller investments guaranteed Corinthians, whose board also spoke openly in numbers, the same 11 million pounds.
