This was so well written. I have always wanted to go to the Superclásico, but it sounds like it would be extremely difficult. With that being said, I'm appreciative that the tickets are pretty much limited to the fans of the teams. So much of soccer (futbol) has been over-commercialized and overpriced.
As basic as it sounds, I can't help but enjoy the choice to prioritise meaning over money (in a world where, more than ever, money is the priority).
Derby fixtures belong to the people, the history, heritage and cultural significance make these fixtures unique.
There is no doubting the fact that there is a middle ground to be found when it comes to making the Superclásico more accessible. And, as is the case with the Old Firm, the idea of having no away supporters is a huge shame (despite the understandable reasons why this is the case).
The Superclásico held at Santiago Bernabéu in 2018 is a good reference as to one of many ideas to open it up to the global audience!
Exactly. Prioritizing meaning over money should be a core tenet for football stakeholders, even though commercial interests are the engine of growth. The 2018 final is a fascinating anomaly; it was played in Spain by accident because of the logistical failures in Buenos Aires. That event actually accelerated the shift toward a single-match, neutral-venue format, which improved security and commercialization, but it's important to remember it started as a crisis measure.
The international TV rights point is interesting. I hadn't realised it was a conscious choice to make Super Classico more inaccessible. However, it still baffles me that they don't have a proper international strategy, as broadcasters around the world would pay a lot to show the game.
It’s an interesting point. I know the Superclásico is available in Italy and Spain—I actually saw commercials for the broadcasts while visiting Italy three years ago. However, when I was in England two years ago, it was nowhere to be found.
I suspect it’s a mix of three things: the requirement to buy the entire league's rights (a burden when mid-table matches lack global appeal, unlike in Spain or Italy where the Argentinian diaspora is huge); the competition from high-revenue local leagues; and, crucially, the kickoff times. Here in Argentina, matches often start after 7 PM, which is 11 PM in the UK. Even the Copa Libertadores has this issue—the recent Boca vs. Barcelona (Ecuador) match kicked off at 9 PM, which is 1 AM in the UK and even later in Western Europe. That makes live viewership nearly impossible.
This was so well written. I have always wanted to go to the Superclásico, but it sounds like it would be extremely difficult. With that being said, I'm appreciative that the tickets are pretty much limited to the fans of the teams. So much of soccer (futbol) has been over-commercialized and overpriced.
Thanks so much for reading! It's definitely an incredible atmosphere, and I hope you get to make the trip down to experience it sometime.
Muito bom esse texto
muito obrigada!
As basic as it sounds, I can't help but enjoy the choice to prioritise meaning over money (in a world where, more than ever, money is the priority).
Derby fixtures belong to the people, the history, heritage and cultural significance make these fixtures unique.
There is no doubting the fact that there is a middle ground to be found when it comes to making the Superclásico more accessible. And, as is the case with the Old Firm, the idea of having no away supporters is a huge shame (despite the understandable reasons why this is the case).
The Superclásico held at Santiago Bernabéu in 2018 is a good reference as to one of many ideas to open it up to the global audience!
Exactly. Prioritizing meaning over money should be a core tenet for football stakeholders, even though commercial interests are the engine of growth. The 2018 final is a fascinating anomaly; it was played in Spain by accident because of the logistical failures in Buenos Aires. That event actually accelerated the shift toward a single-match, neutral-venue format, which improved security and commercialization, but it's important to remember it started as a crisis measure.
The international TV rights point is interesting. I hadn't realised it was a conscious choice to make Super Classico more inaccessible. However, it still baffles me that they don't have a proper international strategy, as broadcasters around the world would pay a lot to show the game.
It’s an interesting point. I know the Superclásico is available in Italy and Spain—I actually saw commercials for the broadcasts while visiting Italy three years ago. However, when I was in England two years ago, it was nowhere to be found.
I suspect it’s a mix of three things: the requirement to buy the entire league's rights (a burden when mid-table matches lack global appeal, unlike in Spain or Italy where the Argentinian diaspora is huge); the competition from high-revenue local leagues; and, crucially, the kickoff times. Here in Argentina, matches often start after 7 PM, which is 11 PM in the UK. Even the Copa Libertadores has this issue—the recent Boca vs. Barcelona (Ecuador) match kicked off at 9 PM, which is 1 AM in the UK and even later in Western Europe. That makes live viewership nearly impossible.