'Big Four' São Paulo Brasileiro Clubs' Debt Totals $65 Million In 2014

The four "big" Brasileiro sides from São Paulo -- Corinthians, Palmeiras, Santos and São Paulo -- "do not have anything to celebrate when the subject is the 2014 balance sheet: they all had deficits" of millions, according to Antônio Strini of ESPN. Together, the four clubs "suffered losses of at least" R$204M ($65M). However, the reality of '13 was "very different" when Corinthians and São Paulo had surpluses and the debts of Palmeiras and Santos "were less." Corinthians "closed the year" with a deficit of R$90M. São Paulo "presented" a deficit of R$54M; however, football "was the boss-cost" at R$40M followed by bank interest at R$34M, meaning "these values alone surpassed the official value." Santos "accumulated" a debt of R$32M and Palmeiras "closed the season" with a deficit of R$28M. In '13, though, São Paulo's surplus totaled R$23.5M while Corinthians' totaled R$1M (ESPN, 3/31).