The largest Corinthians fan group, Gaviões da Fielis carrying out his most ambitious dream: to raise 700 million reais (approximately 115 million euros) from all fans to pay off the debt that the club took on to build its stadium, the Neo Química Arena.
“We call on all loyal fans to be part of an important moment in the club’s history,” they published on a page created especially for the project, launched at the end of November.
In less than 24 hours, They had already reached almost 10 million reais (1.6 million euros) and since then, although the collection has not stopped growing daily, the number has practically stagnated.
One of the faces of the campaign, the player João Roberto Basílioconsidered a hero by Timão fans for having scored a goal that ended a 22-year fast without major titles, revealed his certainty that in January, when the Paulista Championship begins, Collection will rise again “faster” than you imagine.
All donors, no matter the value, receive a certificate recognizing “their love” for the club. And that transfer that exceeds 100 reais (16 dollars) will have his plaque on one of the white marble walls of the 197,000 square meter stadium located in São Paulo and inaugurated in 2014.
In the first fundraising event, the president of the fans formed in 1969, Alexandre Domenico Pereirasaid that the idea of the collection was born in 2019, when the same fans created a committee and “embraced the club’s debt as if it were their own.”
“It was a conversation that happened (naturally). We saw the Arena’s debt at that time, which was even less than the current one, and we did some math. We divided that number among the Corinthians and we noticed that it was enough to pay it off, Only at that moment the pandemic came,” he said.
Although, he admits, the value is “a large number,” he believes it is possible to reach the goal in six months. The donor podium is made up of a company of female companions, influencers, former players, Brazilian television presenters, politicians, sports club officials and musicians.
Among the best-known names are Maurício Chamatifounder of Mercado Bitcoin, one of the first ‘unicorns’ (unlisted companies with a valuation of more than $1 billion) in Latin America, and the judge of the Supreme Court Alexandre de Moraes.
The president of the fans also said that the Dutch Memphis Depay, star signing of last season, “is very committed” to the project and hopes that he will soon start “an individual campaign” to encourage fundraising.
A Brazilian record, among the stories that the stadium accumulates
Most contributors are anonymous fanssome of whom have very personal stories that link them to Corinthians, considered the second team with the most followers in Brazil.
One of them is the actress Tamara Thomaz, who He got married in front of more than 40,000 people at the Neo Química Arenaat halftime of a Brazilian Championship match between Corinthians and Gremio, breaking the record for the most watched wedding in the country.
“We had about twelve minutes to get married. The players came out, they set up the altar, I went in, I got married, I came out and the game continued as if nothing had happened,” the fan recalled.
Tamara returned to the place where years ago she said ‘yes’ to participate in the fundraising event and help the club she loves, wearing a t-shirt that displays her donation certificate.
He says that he already transferred 500 reais (82 dollars) and that He will continue donating every month to pay for “his house”which hosted the World Cup in 2014.
The same Paulo Cahim Juniora lawyer who has been in love with the team for as long as he can remember and has already reserved “100 or 150” reais from his monthly budget to donate to the campaign “until the goal is reached.”
#incredible #challenge #Corinthians #fans #reaching #million #donations #pay #debt #stadium
