As far back as I can remember there has always been pairings synonymous with one another, examples of this being Shaq and Kobe, peanut butter and jelly, cereal and milk etc. However the biggest one that I can think of and the target of my research is Latin America and soccer. This is a pairing made in heaven as the entirety of Latin American countries are filled with numerous teams, rabid fans, and overall love of the sport. However, with soccer being/playing such a major role within both the lives and cultural identities of many Latin Americans the bigger question asked is how big of a role does it play? Specifically I aim to examine 3 sources in the following paragraphs and synthesize their ideas into an explanation of the economic and other roles soccer plays.
To be able to understand the economic and other roles soccer plays within Latin America it is first imperative to know not only the history but who else has examined these idea. Starting with and according to Horowitz 2014, football was first introduced to Argentina by British citizens and by the early decades of the twentieth century has truly begun to become popular. But along with this growth in popularity came a growth in population size and a demand for more places to play, larger stadiums and other bold expenses. These recurring demands forced football clubs to turn towards governmental ties in order to satiate their monetary needs and to meet the ever increasing fan demands. These government ties are still a major part of Latin American Football to this day and are big reason why Soccer has such an impact on its economics.
This tie between football and it’s greater economic role is somewhat due to budget constraints involving the team and infrastructure, but the majority of these issues stem from their own economic woes. Orlando Salvestrini the President of Marketing for Boca Juniors when asked what separates Argentinian soccer from European soccer has this to share. He stated that there are many reasons for why the two are different but the biggest reason he gave was. “One of them is linked to the economic history of Latin America. It is one of underdevelopment and economic crisis and this has had a significant impact on Argentinian football and its supporters.” This statement is far from being overexaggerated either, it is estimated that Argentina has spent almost 33% of its time as a country in economic pitfalls and crisis. But it’s this turmoil and dispair that has projected Boca Juniors their number one soccer club into a ray of sunshine that helps to combat these depressing revelations. Orlando Salvestrini even had this to say about the team in regards to the economy. “When we talk about ‘futbol’ it is giving people a channel into which they place their hopes and their passion. Football therefore becomes even more important not only for Argentinian fans but also for the government.” As he so eloquently puts it, soccer is more than just a sport to the people and government of Argentina. It is a cultural symbol, it is a uniting theme, but most importantly it is a reminder that even through economic woes it’s light will still shine as a beacon of hope.
While the idea of Boca Juniors as a symbol of prosperity among the thralls of economic dispair throughout Argentina is a very much real and important part of its economic ties, it is sadly not the only part of it. That is because while it is all of the the previously stated anecdotes above it is still at the end of the day a business and a very wealthy one at that. A great deal of the teams success came from the election of club president Mauricio Macri in 1996. Furthering that, according to Simon Chadwick author of international Cases in the Business of Sport it was not to long after his election that the team began employing all new marketing tactics that really emphasized the development of the brand. It is thanks to this emphasizing of the brand and new marketing strategies that Boca Juniors is without doubt the most popular club side of Latin America. This popularity is what according to Chadwick allowed for the team to increase its net worth by 30 million dollars in just a decade alone. On top of this it was during this same time that the team won 15 championships submitting them as a powerhouse. This absolute domination and success is another reason that the team is tied to the greater economics of Latin America and more specifically Argentina.
Because of its status as a beacon of hope and entertainment while also simultaneously generating millions of dollars in revenue, it is know wonder that Boca Junior has such deep roots within the counties economy. In some ways it is can be looked at as almost poetic while in others it can appear to be a very toxic and dire situation. But no matter which way you spin it the people, government, and the overall greater economy rest easier knowing Boca Juniors watches over them.
Bibliography
Chadwick, Simon. International Cases in the Business of Sport. London: Routledge, 2017
Horowitz, Joel. “Football Clubs and Neighbourhoods in Buenos Aires before 1943: The Role of Political Linkages and Personal Influence.” Journal of Latin American Studies 46, no. 3 (2014): 557–85. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022216x14001035.
Wilde, Nick. “Interview with Orlando Salvestrini President of Marketing, Club Atletico Boca Juniors in Argentina.” International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship 10, no. 3 (2009): 2–6. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijsms-10-03-2009-b002.