Ponte Preta rejects SAF, must seek a new way out; details | OneFootball

Ponte Preta will have to find another way out of its financial and administrative crisis. At an assembly held this Saturday at Moisés Lucarelli Stadium, members rejected the creation of a Sociedade Anônima do Futebol (SAF).

RTI Esporte Agency learned that 384 members took part in the vote. There were 234 votes in favor and 150 against the proposal. Despite the majority voting “yes,” the SAF needed 254 votes to reach the two-thirds quorum required by the club’s bylaws.

The result brings, for now, the process of creating Ponte Preta’s SAF to an end under the terms presented to members. The decision comes at a time when the club is struggling to balance its books and keep its football operations running.

Vote had a history of internal disputes

The assembly took place amid strong internal political tension, with a secret individual ballot vote that ended at 2:30 p.m. This Saturday’s meeting was another attempt to conclude a discussion that had ended in deadlock in August.

In August, the assembly ended without a vote, amid internal disagreements and court rulings. The process moved forward after the Deliberative Council approved, on June 17, by 106 votes to 22, the continuation of talks on creating the SAF.

Project did not provide for the immediate sale of Ponte Preta

The proposal submitted to members established the separation of the football department from Ponte Preta’s other associative activities. The vote, however, did not represent the choice of a specific investor nor did it, by itself, authorize the sale of the club’s assets.

Under the model presented, any eventual deal with investors would still depend on further deliberations. The notice provided for the need for approval by the Deliberative Council and a future Extraordinary General Assembly.

This point was central to the process. This Saturday’s assembly, for example, was deciding on the establishment of the SAF structure, not on the final approval of a buyer or partner for the football operation.

Decision came under court orders

The holding of the vote was also subject to court orders. Among the requirements were the advance publication of the list of members eligible to vote, the presence of notaries, and video recording of the proceedings.

The measures were adopted amid a dispute between members of the administration and opposition groups. The process of creating the SAF therefore advanced to the members’ vote, but did not obtain the quorum needed for approval.

Ponte Preta faces multimillion-real debt

The rejection comes in a delicate financial context. An audit used in the SAF discussions pointed to a debt of approximately R$320 million. The report also identified an estimated monthly operating deficit of R$2.8 million.

The club’s expenses were estimated at around R$4 million per month, while revenue was close to R$1.2 million. The gap highlights the scale of the challenge of balancing the budget without structural change or new sources of funding.

The financial crisis also affected the football team, with salary delays and a squad stoppage during Brazil’s Série B championship. With the SAF rejected, Ponte Preta will have to seek alternatives to balance its accounts and keep football running.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.