Split social from football? São Paulo have twice shelved the idea before | OneFootball

In an interview with 'Sport Insider' published after São Paulo was eliminated from the Copa Libertadores, Júlio Casares said he intends to leave as a legacy the formal separation between football and the social club of São Paulo. The idea, according to the president, is already under study. "Not that the social aspect hinders today," he said. "I gave very high autonomy to the social aspect. But I want this autonomy to become a legal and administrative separation. Then, I will finish 2026 leaving a legacy," said the president.

The conversation was recorded earlier, but the timing of the release contrasts with the turbulent environment: the elimination against LDU in the quarterfinals of the continental competition, the four consecutive defeats, and a series of protests carried out by a large part of the fans. Before the game against Ceará, fans staged a protest that featured symbolic coffins to 'mourn' Casares and football director Carlos Belmonte.

The model studied at Morumbi is similar to the creation of SAFs, but with a central difference: while Atlético-MG, Bahia, Botafogo, Cruzeiro, and Vasco sold majority stakes to investors, São Paulo would retain 100% control of the future company, which would be responsible for all assets and liabilities of the football department, including player contracts, debts, revenues, and expenses. The social club and amateur sports, with separate accounts, would remain under the association.

The most recent balance shows that the social area is balanced, generating a surplus of approximately R$ 700 thousand. The numbers still included professional basketball, which was discontinued in August, removing the team from the NBB competition and tournaments of the modality.

The proposed division would have a direct impact on governance: the management of football would be done by hired and paid professionals, leaving behind the practice of political or amateur nominations from the association, which is sold as a step within a broader process of professionalization that would have already been started.

Previously, São Paulo structured with Galápagos and Outfield an investment fund in receivables rights (FIDC), which imposed expense and loss limits. In the interview, Casares updated the progress of this control mechanism.

Another project under development, more controversial, envisages the separation of the youth categories, which would be managed by a company with 70% participation from São Paulo and 30% from investors.

This is not the first time the leader has talked about separating football from the social aspect: the same idea was raised by him at the end of 2021, with the creation of a committee to study the corporate restructuring. In February 2022, there was a meeting at Morumbi, which approved a study schedule by areas, with reports and subsequent discussion in the administrative, advisory, and deliberative councils, as well as an assembly with the associates. The project, however, did not advance, just like a previous one, from 2017, still under the management of predecessor Carlos Augusto Barros e Silva, Leco.

For the current changes to prosper, Casares needs the approval of the Deliberative Council. The support of former presidents is pointed out by him as essential, but internal political wear and tear and pressure from the stands are obstacles to be overcome.

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