Espanyol will be the first club in the league to accept payments in cryptocurrencies

The intention of the club is that, from next season (2022-23), cryptocurrencies will be a new means of payment for such common actions as making the payment of the season ticket, buying tickets or any other product that offered at RCDE Stadium. “It is an innovation in a field that is still quite unknown but which we hope will serve to explore new paths in the field of crypto,” said the club’s CEO, Mao Ye Wu.

The Crypto Snack brand will be present in match pants, training shirts and also in the equipment of the club’s e-sports teams. On the other hand, this company will work to drag events in the cryptocurrency and blockchain sector to Cornellà-El Prat, which aspires to become a meeting point for firms in this world. Holding events at the stadium, beyond the concerts, is another source of income for a Spaniard who aspires to grow commercially. The company will offer training to fans interested in learning about the uses of this technology.

The precedent of Power8, a Chinese company that was denounced for a pyramid scam and that ended up breaking the sponsorship agreement for the stadium and the shirt, has hovered over the presentation of this new agreement, but from the Espanyol have made it clear that they have confidence in this new brand. “Sponsorship agreements, especially if they are from a non-traditional sector, involve uncertainties, but we have sought the maximum possible information from the sector, the company and its managers. We value that its headquarters are in Barcelona , because this allows us a better interaction and a better control of how they evolve “, pointed out the director of marketing of the Espanyol, Toni Alegre.

With this link, explained Alegre, Espanyol seeks “not to miss opportunities for growth” and strengthens the link with an emerging sector that is still pending regulation. The agreement with Snack Crypto is, at the hierarchical level, among the eight main sponsorships of the club. Although the figures have not been released, the sponsorship could be between half a million and a million and a half euros a year.

“No one can ensure the continuity of RDT”

In addition to the sponsorship agreement, Mao Ye has also assessed other current sports issues, starting with whether Chen Yansheng will announce who will lead the sports area and the Spanish bench next year. “The president’s concern is about the work that needs to be done, above the names of the people who do it. It’s a planning of the club and the work teams, not of a person,” the club’s general manager said. who did not want to give clues about the future of Rufete or Vicente Moreno. “Planning is already being done. Chen and Rufete will talk about personal issues once mathematical permanence is achieved, but that will have nothing to do with sports planning,” he said.

Mao also referred to the future of RDT: “No one can guarantee its continuity at Espanyol, because there is an exit clause. If someone exercises it, there is little we can do.” The club’s public discourse on the Madrid player, therefore, has not changed since January: if someone wants the striker, they will have to put 75 million euros on the table. It has not been clarified whether they would agree to negotiate a lower figure than the clause. The executive, however, has ironed out the differences between the coach and the striker: “Punctual and visible facts should not be exaggerated. In any environment of personal relationships there may be discrepancies. It is normal that there are in a locker room, which is a family. ”

The general manager of Espanyol has anticipated that they do not expect capital increases for this summer that could give more economic margin in terms of salaries and reinforcements, as happened a year ago, when Chen capitalized 38 million euros of loan in shares.