How Real Madrid Became the Disney of Football. 🔮
aka the real reason Real Madrid just spent $1B on a new stadium.
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According to Florentino Perez, Real Madrid is the Disney of Football.Â
So, What does that mean? Will Perez start making cartoons of Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham fighting crime? Or does he simply think that Real Madrid is the most powerful brand within its industry?
Turns out it’s actually a bit of both.Â
Perez seems to think that taking inspiration from Disney and leaning into the entertainment aspects of a football club is a great way to maximize income and stay on top.
Perez took this idea slightly too literally in 2017, when he sat down with Disney executives to draw up proposals for a Real Madrid theme park at the Bernabeu. There were even plans for a Zidane themed rollercoaster.Â
These plans were shelved when estimates placed the initial cost at $2 billion, but Perez has never given up on the idea of turning Madrid into an entertainment hub.
While the recent $1 billion refurbishment of the Santiago Bernabeu doesn’t have any roller coasters, it uses innovative new technology (including a massive greenhouse) to open five new revenue streams for Madrid and turn the stadium into one of the most important entertainment centers in Europe.Â
So, does this mean that Perez’s Disney dream will come true?Â
You can explore more about this topic in our latest Youtube video.
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