Following a year of renovations the second home of Brazilian top-flight football club Sociedade Esportivo Palmeiras has been christened Arena Crefisa Barueri.
Veja said a bidding process held in 2023 granted Crefipar Participações e Empreendimentos S.A., a company within the Crefisa Group and owned by Palmeiras president Leila Pereira, the right to manage the stadium for the next 30 years.
Arena Crefisa Barueri is a multi-use stadium located in Barueri, São Paulo state, Brazil. It is used mostly for football matches and hosts the home matches of Oeste.
The stadium has a maximum capacity of 31,452 people and was built in 2007. It is owned by the City of Barueri. During the redevelopment of Allianz Parque the Barueri Arena was used for some home matches of Palmeiras.
With Arena Crefisa Barueri, Brazil now has 11 stadiums with naming rights, including: Arena Fonte Nova Betting House, Arena das Dunas Betting House, Arena MRV (Atlético MG), Arena BRB Mané Garrincha, Arena Nicnet (Botafogo-SP), Mercado Livre Arena Pacaembu, Morumbis (São Paulo) Allianz Parque (Palmeiras), Neo Química Arena (Corinthians) and Ligga Arena (Athletico-PR).
Renê Salviano, CEO of Heatmap and a sports marketing specialist, said stadiums are excellent places to build relationships between companies and consumers.
He said, “Arenas have countless channels for carrying out activations, ranging from physical media such as screens, boxes, and common areas, to digital media such as social media.
“By leveraging the emotional charge involved in these spaces, brands guarantee a competitive edge in creating experiential activations, as well as connecting with the public during special moments.
“This is especially the case when it comes to an arena like Mineirão, for example, with an extensive game schedule and major entertainment events throughout the year.”
The arrival of naming rights was slow to happen in Brazil. The first occurred only in 2005, with the purchase of the then Athletico-PR stadium by the Japanese technology company Kyocera, which was later negotiated with the telecommunications operator Ligga Telecom.
Ivan Martinho, marketing professor at ESPM, said, “Clubs and companies need to understand the benefits that partnerships can yield. Stadiums are sports assets, and the sale of naming rights represents a significant portion of clubs’ revenue.
“Investing in sports enhances the development of experiences, just as it is done in the United States.”
In Brazil, years after the first national partnership with Athletico-PR in 2005, clubs have begun to explore this new source of revenue, especially in recent years.
The state of São Paulo accounts for more than half of this share, with six stadiums named after a company.
The oldest of the current contracts is that of Palmeiras, signed with Allianz in 2013. Subsequently, Atlético-MG negotiated the sale to MRV in 2017, before construction even began on the stadium.
In 2020, Corinthians sealed an agreement with Neo Química. Starting in 2022, Banco BRB will name Mané Garrincha.
A crucial part of the recent increase in the number of venues named after sports venues used by clubs is the modernization of venues.
For Sergio Schildt, president of Recoma, the largest sports infrastructure company in Latin America, and vice president of América Latina, and vice president of Abriesp (Brazilian Sports Industry Association), comfort and new entertainment options directly contribute to attracting a new audience.
Schildt said, “With modernization, going to the stadium is no longer just about watching a soccer match; it has become a broader activity that can cater to the whole family.
“Today, modern arenas offer restaurants, modern and comfortable boxes, beauty salons, and also often host numerous shows, which further enhances the brand that holds the rights to that venue.”
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