It is a serious mistake for Barça not to officially provide the figures for the agreement with Spotify if we believe that the ownership of the club lies with its members. Can a homeowner vote in favor of an agreement of this magnitude without knowing the details? Shielding oneself in article 10.8 of the statutes, which allows confidentiality if the club’s interests can be seriously harmed, is inappropriate for an entity with values and a property regime such as Barça.
Laporta still has a few days to excel in his ability to move in swampy terrain to announce the figures. Spotify is a good deal, as Barça is associated with a brand that can generate value, but the price to pay cannot be the lack of transparency. Just as a commitment is required of the member to comply in both directions – duties and rights – the club must ensure that the member paints something in an institution that has become a little more multinational every day. Barça already has experience in tricks to pass the bull by big beast in sponsorship agreements: Qatar Foundation was the paradigm; much more serious, all things considered, than what the link with the Swedish brand now raises.
Laporta has turned Barça upside down in just over a year. He turned it like a sock. The club radiates joy and optimism after a few years of greyness and decrepitude. And this is the merit of the president, for the success in the decisions that have led to this change – especially Xavi and Alemany – but also for the uncomplicated speech, with vitality and self-confidence. Barcelona needed it. However, there are dark spots that cannot be overlooked. Laporta is wrong, like everyone else, and the environment must fulfill its supervisory role. As was the case with a part of the press with Bartomeu (everyone will live with their own conscience, with what they did and what they are doing).
The nightly modification of the code of ethics, the changes of executives to move towards a family management model, the management of the Benaiges case, the Superliga and the signing of relatives and friends without impeccable selection processes are some of the dark spots. of this term of office. Time will tell if these are mistakes in what or how – Spotify – or simple decisions that may seem illogical but end up being right – a lot of Laporta, that. Decisions that do not deprive the president of legitimacy nor is it an orchestrated attack to overthrow him. Hopefully these articles shouldn’t be written or we should update them because the president ends up posting the figures for the deal with Spotify.
