After 90 intense minutes at the Alfonso López stadium, in the capital of Santander, Independiente Santa Fe and Atlético Bucaramanga will define today who will be the new champion of Colombian professional soccer, in Bogotá.
Although both teams are vying for the crown of the new champion of Colombian professional soccer, the victory has different nuances in the economic benefit for both the city of each clubb, as for both sports institutions.
This closure of Colombian professional football also coincides with the weekend in which Father’s Day is celebrated, so commerce will have two days ‘at full speed’.
According to calculations by Fenalco Bogotá Cundinamarca, as a consequence of the professional soccer final, in the case of bars and gastrobars, sales can increase by more than 60% during the day compared to a normal Saturday. The entity explained that, for restaurants, the expected increase is 30%, while in retail stores the increase would be around 25% as well as for means of transportation.
“The football festival always benefits the commercial sector. Establishments near the El Campín Stadium such as retail stores and even informal commerce will substantially increase their sales,” said Juan Esteban Orrego, director of the union’s branch.
If this economic benefit from the FPC is added to Father’s Day, sales will have a significant rebound. The union noted that business owners expect to increase their sales by about 25% during the celebration for parents. “In total, 45% of Bogota residents will celebrate in restaurants, while 55% prefer to organize a plan at home. The average investment for the celebration will range between $100,000 and $300,000.”
But the economic impact of the FPC final is also important in the ‘beautiful city’. According to calculations by the Business Information Center of the Bucaramanga Chamber of Commerce, the shock to the local economy is estimated at around $36,000 million and, although the scenario is less favorable and Atlético Bucaramanga does not achieve its first star, the estimated income is around $20,000 million.
Beyond the commercial dynamics in the cities of the finalist teams, their leaders have high expectations for the final of the tournament. Eduardo Méndez, president of Independiente Santa Fe, said that “the income we are expecting depends on ticket sales, but they are important numbers that will help solve some of the problems we have. It is what Conmebol has, and the biggest prize is to participate in the Libertadores.”
Jaime Elías Quintero, president of Atlético Bucaramanga, said that the club, during 2023, had equitable financial management. “What you earn is spent and not more than what you earn. Today the institution is economically healthy, and without financial distress. There we are going little by little trying to make a good investment and make it positive.”
The clubs had a scuffle over the price that Santa Fe established for the visiting team’s tickets, due to an altercation during the first leg, where members of the Bogotá club were attacked, but it was finally agreed that the Bumanguese fans would attend the Campín .
