Barcelona's 2,203 VIP Seats, Accompanying Revenue Pale In Comparison To Competitors

Barcelona is "spectacularly losing the revenue battle with its biggest competitors in the VIP and hospitality zones," according to Francesc Perearnau of MUNDO DEPORTIVO. Despite "Camp Nou's capacity of nearly 100,000," Real Madrid -- whose stadium holds less than 86,000 -- not only doubles Barcelona in VIP seats (4,862 at the Bernabéu compared to 2,203 at Camp Nou), it also nearly quadruples Barça in profitability. Barcelona makes €12M ($17M) from luxury seating, while Real brings in €43M ($60M). It is "a difference against which it is nearly impossible to compete." It is the "number of luxury boxes that attract businesses, big families and the high class of football to pay more than anyone for private areas with exceptional visibility and privacy worth its weight in gold." Compared to Arsenal, Barcelona's "disadvantage is even more evident, as Emirates has nearly 10,000 luxury seats," through which the club brings in €40M ($55.6M) (MUNDO DEPORTIVO, 3/12).