The CEO of FC BarcelonaFerran Reverter, resigned this Tuesday from the position, in the middle of the club’s negotiations for a new sponsorship agreement with Spotify.
According to the Catalan club, Reverter informed president Joan Laporta that he had to leave the post “for personal and family reasons.”
Reverter is leaving less than a year after taking office in July 2021, with responsibility for leading a restructuring of the club through a strategic plan until 2026.
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Reverter’s resignation comes just as Barca look to find a new sponsor to replace Rakuten when the current deal expires at the end of the season.
The new deal is seen as fundamental for the club, which is seeking to clean up its finances after absorbing huge debt due to the coronavirus pandemic and the questionable efforts of previous administrators. Barcelona could not retain Lionel Messi due to his financial problems.
The newspaper La Vanguardia reported that Reverter’s departure had to do in part with discrepancies related to negotiations with Spotify, in addition to previous disagreements with Laporta.
The club did not immediately respond to La Vanguardia’s version. He thanked the executive “for the dedication and work done as CEO.”
Spanish media reported that the agreement with Spotify was imminent, but the club denied it and added that negotiations are under way with other brands. The deal with Spotify could be worth 280 million euros ($320 million) over three years and will include first-shirt sponsorship and naming rights to the Camp Nou stadium.
The streaming company is in the midst of a content controversy over comedian Joe Rogan, who has millions of devoted followers but has outraged many with inappropriate comments.
Barcelona praised Reverter by mentioning several achievements such as debt restructuring, salary reduction and agreements with new partners.
Reverter said he accepted Laporta’s invitation to take over as CEO shortly after returning to Barcelona from Germany for family reasons.
“These months have been exciting and I thank the president for his confidence and, especially, his enthusiasm and leadership capacity”, he indicated. “Personally, I have put in a lot of effort and dedication during these months, but now I want to focus on the purpose for which I returned to Barcelona, which is to spend more time on personal and family projects.”.
