Camp Nou redevelopment more important than ever says Barcelona VP

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RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SHOTLIST AND SCRIPT

VIDEO SHOWS: INTERVIEW WITH BARCELONA VICE PRESIDENT JORDI MOIX ABOUT FINANCING FOR STADIUM RECONSTRUCTION / B-ROLL OF NEW STADIUM DESIGN AND BARCELONA TRAINING

SHOWS:

BARCELONA, SPAIN (FILE) (BARCELONA FOOTBALL CLUB HANDOUT - ACCESS ALL) (MUSIC)

1. ANIMATION OF REVAMPED STADIUM PLANS FOR BARCELONA'S CAMP NOU

BARCELONA, SPAIN (OCTOBER 7, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BARCELONA VICE PRESIDENT JORDI MOIX SAYING:

"The Bernabeu is using COVID to finalise in one year and a half so they are going to have enjoy the revenues in a year and a half's time. And to compete with them and other stadiums that have already finished their work, the new stadiums. We are already competing with Juve, Tottenham etc, revenues-wise consideration. The good news is that after heavy negotiations because of the political situation we have in Catalonia, with parties of independence and non independence, we had to agree with a part of them in the city, we managed to get that agreement, so they've approved the masterplan for the club which generates incremental revenues from the future. And I think that is very positive so we have that thing already complied. We have the project finished we are going for a tender with a construction company so we can have realistic bids in the spring so we can start the works this coming summer, and and we have money for it which doesn't affect the day to day of the club."

BARCELONA, SPAIN (FILE) (BARCELONA FOOTBALL CLUB HANDOUT - ACCESS ALL) (MUSIC)

3. ANIMATION OF REVAMPED STADIUM PLANS FOR BARCELONA'S CAMP NOU

BARCELONA, SPAIN (OCTOBER 7, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BARCELONA VICE PRESIDENT, JORDI MOIX, SAYING:

"Espai Barca is needed more than ever because of COVID, it's a way to re-engine the economy of the city also the club and put in an outlook, a realistic outlook, as soon as possible to generate new revenues but we have to put that investment in."

BARCELONA, SPAIN (FILE) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

5. VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF CAMP NOU

6. FC BARCELONA AND CATALONIAN FLAGS

7. SIGN SAYING FC BARCELONA

8. BARCELONA BADGE

9. AERIAL SHOT OF STADIUM

BARCELONA, SPAIN (OCTOBER 7, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BARCELONA FINANCIAL DIRECTOR, JORDI MOIX, SAYING:

"Since you have a stadium where nothing has been done since 1982. There is a bunch of activities and revenues that we don't have now in the stadium that is not rocket science, it's already been invented and tested in all the new stadiums we have financed. That will be generated. So, let's use a scheme where we have a right to be paid as a guarantee for the repayment on those revenues year by year."

11. WHITE FLASH

12. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BARCELONA FINANCIAL DIRECTOR, JORDI MOIX, SAYING

"Which is divided 50 million that comes from extra ticketing, because we covered the stadium and there is a possibility of food and beverage associated with that. And then there is the corporate boxes which we don't have now, we have 30 boxes."

13. WHITE FLASH

14. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BARCELONA FINANCIAL DIRECTOR, JORDI MOIX, SAYING

"In the first ring with the new work we can generate 100 new boxes, that can generate another 50 million altogether. Then we have title rights and plus the commercial sponsor spaces which we don't have in the current stadium that will generate another 30, 40, or 50 million."

BARCELONA, SPAIN (SEPTEMBER 18, 2020) (BARCA TV - MUST NOT OBSCURE LOGO)

15. LIONEL MESSI DRINKING WATER

16. PLAYERS ON PITCH

17. COACH RONALD KOEMAN WATCHING PLAYERS STRETCH

STORY: Barcelona must press on with plans to renovate their Camp Nou stadium in order to replenish revenues lost to the coronavirus pandemic, vice-president Jordi Moix has said, adding that the 815-million-euro project will pay for itself.

The club announced a financing deal with Goldman Sachs on Monday (October 5) to modernise their iconic but decaying stadium and raise its capacity from 99,000 to 105,000.

Should the plan be approved by club members next year, building work can begin by June 2021 and will take around five years to be completed.

The announcement came on the same day Barca released a grim set of financial figures caused by the coronavirus pandemic, showing a loss of 97 million euros, while its net debt had more than doubled to 488 million euros.

Revenues were also down 19% from the previous year, by 135 million, caused by fans being unable to attend matches due to continued coronavirus safety measures.

The club has also been harmed by the huge drop in tourism to the city due to the pandemic, affecting income from its museum, which usually receives 1.2 million visitors per year, and from merchandising.

According to Moix, the renovation of the stadium and surrounding area, known as Espai Barca, has been made more urgent by the pandemic.

The financing deal with Goldman Sachs ensures that the cost of the stadium will not interfere with the daily running of the club or affect its ability to attract and keep the best players in the world.

Key to the financing scheme is the creation of an extra 150 million euros per year once the refurbished stadium is built, allowing the club to repay Goldman Sachs 50 million per year.

Moix added that the club expected to earn an extra 50 million euros per year from ticket sales and increased food and drink income due to expanding capacity to 105,000.

Another 50 million will come from increasing the number of corporate boxes from 30 to 100, while a further 50 is expected to be brought in by the naming rights of the stadium, plus more room for sponsors and extra commercial spaces.

(Production: Iain Axon)