The taboo that has united all presidents, from Núñez to Laporta

Barcelona"Imagine if 80,000 members suddenly turned against you. No president could resist that." This phrase was uttered by a manager of Josep Maria Bartomeu's team during a conversation about the Camp Nou and the price of season tickets. It was during the 2015 election campaign. Barça had just won the treble under Luis Enrique and had a squad featuring star players like Leo Messi, Luis Suárez, Neymar, Piqué, and Iniesta. With the elections looming, one of the topics of debate was the price of tickets. The candidacy was immediately shaken off: it promised to do as it had in recent years, raising prices only by the CPI. "If it's already a thorny issue, imagine it during the campaign," a future vice president concluded from campaign headquarters. In return, the price of general admission tickets was raised and an attempt was made to attract tourists, who were the ones willing to pay large sums to see Barça live. A policy that still stands today.

A decade later, ticket prices have continued to be a subject of debate. Just as they had been years ago. If anything has characterized Camp Nou, it's having lower prices than the big European clubs. So much so that some seats, like those in the stands at the Barcelona stadium, could cost half as much as those at Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu. In his time, Josep Lluís Núñez had great difficulty increasing their prices, to the point that the increases were justified either by the CPI or by the renovations he planned in 1982 (construction of the third tier) and in 1994 (expansion of the first tier).

Joan Laporta, in his first term (2003-10), opted for the right and increased season tickets by 30%, considering them outdated. The social rejection was evident, to the point that it was one of the factors taken into account in the vote of no confidence that nearly cost him his job in 2008. Sandro Rosell, his successor, pledged to maintain prices with the sole increase being the CPI, a decision that still stands today. In 1980, a season ticket in the lower right-back area cost 20,000 pesetas (€120). According to inflation, today it would be €631, slightly less than the €818 it actually costs.

The internal debate over prices on the return to Camp Nou

With the return to Camp Nou in sight, Joan Laporta's current board approved the cost of the tickets at a meeting. It was not easy because of the war between factions between those who consider being a Barça member and season ticket holder a luxury and those who believe the affordable pricing policy should continue. Especially given that the stadium is under construction, many services will be lacking, and fans will have to live with the inconveniences of the renovation for at least two years.

It wasn't the first time that this management team had disagreements in this regard. Like when, in 2021, some proposed an extraordinary contribution to the membership to wipe out the debt, or like the excessive increase proposed in 2023 before leaving for Montjuïc. The last story is well-known and ended with a 50% discount after a popular revolt by some season ticket holders who refused to buy the pass at the initially proposed price.

This time, the debate has erupted again. Now the sector that was betting on affordable prices has won – the side that includes the president, chastened by what happened to him a few years ago, and his inner circle of trust. The figures will be made public in the coming days, but according to the Everything Costs Catalunya Ràdio's tickets will range from €530 for the first goal tier to €1,500 for the central section of the grandstand. This means they will be 4% more expensive than they were in the 2022-23 season, the last season played at Camp Nou. Once again, the CPI increase has been applied.

Now, even the most conservative sector is aware that sooner rather than later, prices will have to be adjusted upwards. About a year ago, some board members met at the Camp Nou offices with representatives of various opinion groups. The question of season ticket costs came up at the time. Elena Fort, the institutional vice president and a figure who has always advocated for a more affordable policy, was present. Fort pledged not to increase the season ticket in the short term—which has been the case—but admitted that once the work was completed, they would have to reconsider. "We understand it's not popular, but a new stadium, with new services, can't maintain old prices," admitted one of the board members when consulted by ARA. Now, when will the increase be made and how? This same source admits that they will wait until the stadium is finished and that, most likely, the increase will be made gradually. In any case, it will be beyond 2026, an election year.

An unforeseen price increase in the Espai Barça credit

It will be an increase that It was not planned in the Espai Barça securitization fund., the notarized document where the loan for the Camp Nou renovation was signed. Annex 2 includes a report from the company Legends on the stadium's operation. According to calculations, the bulk of the income would be used to extract the products. VIP –which would triple the turnover, reaching 75 million annually–, to double what was earned with the tours and for raising ticket prices for the general public by 15%. However, the report only predicted "a 1% annual increase to compensate for the loyalty" of season ticket holders. A reward that ultimately will not be met.