BYD drops Morumbi naming rights, but Massis stays upbeat at square one | OneFootball

The process for the commercialization of Morumbi’s naming rights has undergone a short-term change in direction. Chinese automaker BYD has definitively ended negotiations with São Paulo’s board over the acquisition of the sports venue’s commercial rights.

The talks had initially been paused at the end of 2025 for compliance and governance adjustments by the automaker in the domestic market, but resumed throughout the first half of 2026 and revolved around R$ 600 million for a ten-year contract.

However, the conversations did not progress to definitive contractual terms, culminating in the electric vehicle manufacturer’s decision to formally withdraw from the deal.

Despite the negative outcome with the Chinese company, São Paulo president Harry Massis expressed optimism regarding the stadium’s position in the corporate market.

In a meeting with niche media outlets last week at CT da Barra Funda, the club chief reinforced his belief that the venue remains one of the most valuable assets in South American football, capable of attracting major partners in the next rounds of negotiations.

Asset versatility and commercial appeal

The institutional strategy to enhance Morumbi’s value is based on its multi-purpose nature. The board believes the complex offers unique competitive advantages that justify major financial investment from the private market:

Continuous exposure: Alignment between the calendar of top-level official matches and the hosting of major international concert tours and large-scale corporate events;

Structure and location: High capacity, historic tradition, and a prime geographic location in the city of São Paulo;

Partner acquisition: Maintaining open dialogue channels with companies from other sectors of the economy seeking to associate their brands with the complex.

As AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR revealed in May, the previous negotiations were for R$ 175 million over five years, that is, R$ 35 million per year, an amount higher than the R$ 25 million annually paid by Mondelez under an agreement signed at the end of 2023.

São Paulo would be asking for around R$ 60 million per season.

Marketing restructuring and focus on recurring revenue

As part of the institution’s recovery and economic strengthening plan, the presidency highlighted the process of deep reform being carried out in the marketing department. Under the leadership of the new executive director, André Marques, the sector is working intensively on developing projects aimed at diversifying and expanding recurring revenue sources.

The priorities established for the department’s new management include:

Supporters’ Membership Program (ST): Review of plans, benefits, and strategies for attracting new members;

Ticketing Policy: Pricing study to optimize stadium occupancy rates and matchday revenue;

Brand Properties: Prospecting for new sponsors, developing commercial activations, and launching new licensed products.

The Tricolor board expects to present the first practical results of this restructuring in the coming months. Optimizing the revenue generated by marketing and Morumbi’s commercial contracts is being treated by the management as a fundamental pillar for generating stable cash flow, allowing the gradual reduction of the club’s debt while simultaneously ensuring financial support for investment in professional football.

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