BarcelonaNo one doubts the quality and involvement of Nikola Mirotic at Can Barça, but his contract has become a headache for the club’s financial managers. The salary he agreed with Josep Maria Bartomeu has become a poisoned inheritance. The subject is very sensitive, but the board headed by Joan Laporta understands that the figures do not fit either the current parameters of the club or those of the market. Communication with the player and his representative, Igor Crespo, is fluid and all parties are open to looking for new scenarios, but the complexity of the operation prevents a quick resolution.
The Montenegrin winger was under contract until 2022, with an extra option until 2023, but a couple of years ago he extended the deal until 2025. The new pact allowed some of the amounts initially agreed to be deferred. “One of the objectives is the economic sustainability of the section. We have tried to strengthen the team and, at the same time, adjust the wage bill of the staff. We want Blaugrana basketball to be at the top, but with market prices. The idea is to compete at the highest level with the highest profit”, explains Josep Cubells, manager responsible for the section.
This is how Nikola Mirotic lived the classic
The termination of the contracts of Nick Calathes and Pierre Oriola, who had salaries above the market value, must be interpreted in this line of adapting the wage bill to the current scenario. Seconds EurohoopsMirotic exceeds five million euros net per season and his contract is the second highest in the history of the competition, which had Josh Childress (Olympiacos) as the highest paid player.
A few more weeks off
Mirotic is the captain of Barça 2022-23, but he has not yet been able to make his debut this season because he continues to recover from the injury to the Achilles tendon in his left foot. The cool star will still be out for a few more weeks. The medical services evaluate his progress regularly and, although it is still early to set a specific date, they expect the player to be back in action before the end of the year. Reinforced by the signing of Mike Tobey, the team, which plays at Zalgiris this Thursday (7 p.m., DAZN), has learned to compete without him.
Since the arrival of the current board, Barça has worked hard to reduce expenses and increase income. The basketball section has not been an exception. Last season closed with a 35% growth in revenue compared to the 2018-2019 campaign, which was the last without pandemic-related restrictions. Ticket sales (+52%) and merchandising (+114%) improved records. In addition, the club has decided to accentuate the adaptation works of the Palau Blaugrana to improve the experience of the spectators and increase economic income. The new actions take place inside the facility and focus on updating the catering spaces, creating a new VIP room with views of the track and improving some of the most visible elements of the enclosure The works will be finished in December.
The remodeling is included in the club’s strategic line, which wants to bring its facilities up to date before having the financial muscle necessary to tackle the definitive remodeling. The new Palau Blaugrana will be very important to generate new income, but until it is a reality it is necessary to extract juice from the current facilities.
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