Flamengo and Fluminense have found a new source of income. In addition to building a car park or reorganising the VIP boxes, the Fla-Flu consortium wants to sell the naming rights to the legendary Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho. The price could be the highest in the history of Brazilian football.

Instant revenue optimisation

Last year Flamengo and Fluminense obtained the lease of the famous Maracanã for 20 years from the Rio de Janeiro region government and immediately set about the process of cost optimisation. According to ESPN, the profit margin has already jumped from 31% to 44% and is set to continue to grow. Fla's chairman announced the construction of a parking lot for 400 cars and the reorganisation of the VIP boxes, but the biggest change is expected to be the sale of naming rights.

Formed to manage the facility, the Fla-Flu consortium is looking for a title sponsor. So far, the 75,000-seater has never had a commercial name. The clubs want to start the new phase of the stadium's commercialisation with a bump, signing the most expensive deal for the sale of naming rights in Brazil.

© Adam Jones | The full, official name of Maracanã is Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho.

The government will decide

Ge Globo informed that the clubs have already set a price for the sale of the rights to the name Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho: 40 million Brazilian reals per year, which translates to around €6M. According to the portal, as of today, it is Mercado Livre who pays the highest amount in Brazil: 33,3 million reals a year for the naming rights of the Estádio do Pacaembu. However, the stadium is half the size and far less recognisable than the iconicMaracanã.

It is an open question, however, whether the Rio de Janeiro government will allow the name change, because the Fla-Flu Consortium did not assume the sale of naming rights during the bidding for the lease. There are conflicting reports in the Brazilian media, with some media claiming that the government is divided on the issue, others that it has already given the unofficial green light to the club's intentions. The administration's position will probably clarify once the clubs clarify their plans.

© Sama093 | 75 years after its opening, Maracanã is still the largest stadium in Brazil. Its capacity is 74,738 seats.