FC Barcelona has revealed its collaboration with new strategic partners aimed at expediting the expansion of Barça Vision (Bridgeburg). Additionally, the club has struck an agreement with Mountain & Co. I Acquisition Corp, a move designed to ensure the prosperous trajectory of Barça Media.
LIBERO football finance AG, headquartered in Germany, along with private investors advised by Dutch investment firm NIPA Capital BV, have become the latest partners in Bridgeburg Invest, the parent company of Barça Vision.
LIBERO football finance provides comprehensive financial and economic advisory services tailored to football clubs. Their expertise lies in assisting clubs with financial planning, profitability, and various economic aspects related to the professional football industry.
€120M Acquisition Agreement
FC Barcelona has confirmed that investors have acquired a 29.5% stake in Barça Vision (Bridgeburg), an FC Barcelona initiative that aims to integrate all digital content related to Web3, blockchain, NFTs, and the metaverse in order to build the digital Espai Barça.
This €120 million acquisition involves the shares previously held by Socios.com and Orpheus Media. The divestiture of the stake in Bridgeburg Invest was executed following approval from FC Barcelona’s General Assembly of Members on October 23, 2021.
Socios.com and Orpheus Media will maintain a pivotal role in FC Barcelona’s Web3 strategy, remaining as strategic partners. They will leverage their expertise and technological infrastructure to create novel opportunities through various channels, including the BAR Fan Token.
Joan Laporta, President of FC Barcelona, commented, “In recent years, we have made significant strides in the digital ecosystem, transforming our assets into a creative hub that elevates FC Barcelona’s brand to unparalleled heights worldwide.”
“Our content strategy has proven successful, offering new avenues to connect with our fans globally and generating fresh streams of revenue.”
“This strategic move we are undertaking now provides us with new resources to sustain our growth in a time when the demand for digital sports content is clearly expanding, reinforcing the digital transformation journey we embarked upon in 2022,” Laporta added.
Mountain & Co. I Acquisition Corp Agreement
FC Barcelona has also engaged in a Business Combination Agreement with Mountain & Co. I Acquisition Corp, a special purpose acquisition company with a focus on the European digital media and technology sector.
This agreement entails the integration of FC Barcelona’s Barça Vision and audiovisual content units into a unified entity named “Barça Media.”
The collaboration seeks to grant Barça Media access to funding from the US capital markets, thereby accelerating the club’s digital and audiovisual ventures while broadening its content distribution to new global audiences.
With an anticipated enterprise value of approximately €910M, Barça Media holds significant potential as a revenue generator for the club.
The successful execution of this deal requires the approval of both Mountain & Co. I Acquisition Corp shareholders and FC Barcelona’s General Assembly of members, as well as adherence to other standard closing conditions. The finalization of the agreement is anticipated to take place in the last quarter of 2023.
About Barça Vision and Barça Media
Barça Vision serves as FC Barcelona’s platform for integrating Web3, NFTs, and metaverse initiatives. It plays a central role in the club’s strategy for the digital Espai Barça, enabling global connections with fans, especially among Gen Alpha, Gen Z, and Millennials.
The club has taken proactive steps, including launching an official Discord channel and offering a collection of 3,000 Barça NFTs with Plastiks to support sustainability projects worldwide.
Under the leadership of Joan Laporta, FC Barcelona emphasizes the importance of constructing Espai Barça Digital alongside the physical transformation of Espai Barça. Their digital evolution began with NFT auctions, featuring tributes to Johan Cruyff and NFTs inspired by Alexia Putellas. The official Fan Token, “BAR,” has significantly enhanced global fan engagement.
As a prominent global sports organization boasting a fan base of over 350 million, TV viewership exceeding 520 million (2021/2022 season), and more than 440 million social media followers, FC Barcelona holds immense influence. Barça Media, established two decades ago, centralizes the creation, production, and marketing of digital content.
Barça Media is committed to producing captivating content for distribution across its channels and major platforms, including Disney+, Sony Pictures, Univision, and DaZN.
Each year, FC Barcelona generates an extensive array of audiovisual content, positioning itself as a global leader in sports and entertainment. The club’s digital broadcasting success is evident from the remarkable 2.5 billion social media interactions across platforms like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch during the 2021-22 season.
