Joan Laporta, during Lewandowski's presentation. DPA via Europa Press (DPA via Europa Press)
Barcelona activates the fourth lever - a euphemism popularized by president Joan Laporta in reference to the sale of assets to redirect the club's economic-financial situation.
The Barça entity has announced the sale of 24.5% of Barça Studios, the club's audiovisual production company, to Orpheus Media for 100 million euros.
"The company is managed by Jaume Roures -partner and founder of Mediapro-, an audiovisual producer with extensive experience in the creation of audiovisual content," Barça said in the statement.
And he added: "This agreement complements the one already signed on July 29 with Socios.com and will serve to accelerate the growth of the Club's digital strategy, NFT and Web.3."
With this operation, the club accelerates its income to register the signings.
“I don't know what Barça will lack to register all the players.
What I do know is that this investment of 100 million is enough to see the team we want to see tomorrow," Roures said on Cadena Ser.
Barcelona has changed its strategy.
The Assembly of compromising partners authorized the board chaired by Joan Laporta to sell 49% of Barça Studios.
First, the board transferred 24.5% to Socios.com and then negotiated with the GDA Luma investment fund, owned by Gabriel de Alba, owner of Cirque du Soleil, for the sale of another 24.5%, also for 100 millions.
This option, however, did not prosper.
Barcelona, then, in a hurry to add income that would allow it to have the approval of LaLiga to register the signings -Raphinha, Koundé, Lewandowski, Christensen and Kessie- opted for Jaume Roures.
The Catalan businessman had already collaborated with Laporta's board when in March 2021 he completed the guarantee so that the lawyer can be invested as president of Barcelona.
In June, before the end of the 2021-2022 season, the Barça entity closed the sale of 10% of its television rights to the investment group Sixth Street for the next 25 years in exchange for 207.5 million.
That transfer allowed him to close the last year on a positive note.
Three weeks later, he gave another 15% for 320 million to the same company and for the same period of time.
The new operation allowed him to redirect the patrimonial situation (he had his own funds in red) and strengthen the box to continue with his extensive activity in the transfer market.
But Barcelona needed more.
So, the club activated a new lever: the sale of Barça Studios.
And he looked for two different partners.
First Socios.com to "accelerate the growth of the Club's digital strategy, NFT and Web.3" and now Jaume Roures to develop audiovisual content.
“Barça is strong enough to save itself.
The rest of us are companions at certain times”, Roures closed.
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