Barcelona President Sandro Rosell has "praised his own financial management of the club after an annual general meeting predicted record revenues," according to Gareth Messenger of INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL. The meeting "reviewed Rosell's current three-year term as president of the Catalan club" as well as passing a budget of €509M ($691M) for '13-14. The "financial results showed the club's debt had dropped" from €430M to €331M during the "new board's first three years in control at the Camp Nou." Figures for the last financial year showed a €73M investment in youth teams and €35M "also being pledged into improving facilities," with €49M left over (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 10/14).
ONE OF SPORT'S BIGGEST BRANDS: ESPN's Dermot Ledwith wrote the Barcelona brand "is one of the biggest in football, if not the world of sport." Barcelona has 44 million fans on Facebook, 17 million Twitter followers, and, including players' followers, more than 178 million total social media followers. The club also has the "second-highest annual financial turnover in football, behind Real Madrid," at €483M in '12. Increases "in commercial revenues and match-day revenues offset a slight drop in broadcasting revenues last year, and a quick trip around the tourist trap that is the Camp Nou any day of the week demonstrates how." Hordes of customers eat Barcelona "bocat" (sandwiches) and drink Barcelona beer "before spending their money on merchandise in the famous old colours in the huge megastore" (ESPN, 10/13).
