John Textor explains Botafogo’s attachment to the scale: “You want to sit at the table where the power and the influence are.”

After taking a position of neutrality, a Botafogo Join the Brazilian Football League on Friday, after John Textor Participation in a meeting in São Paulo with the leaders of the founding clubs of the group. In an interview with the “Negócios do Esporte” blog, from GE, Glorioso’s largest shareholder, who has always championed a strong league, explained the reasons for choosing pound.

– I think, from the point of view of Botafogo, we are being asked: Would you like to sit at the table with the biggest clubs in Brazil, the ones that are most likely to remain the leaders, the biggest brands in the country, when people think of Brazilian football? When the Premier League started, imagine if Crystal Palace was asked: Would you rather be the smallest club in the Big Six or the biggest club in a group of 14? The decision is clear. You want to sit at the table where the power and the effect. It’s not the perfect example, because Botafogo itself is a big and very successful club, with great champions, and a club that everyone knows is a sleeping giant. It is appropriate to be at the negotiating table with the big clubs in Brazil – Textor explained.

According to owner SAF do Botafogo, there was no requirement from the club to join Libra.

– You saw in the press that I made demands, which is not true. The word “request” is very powerful. We’ve been invited to a bunch of clubs, everyone has something to bring to the table. There is an amazing diversity in the ownership model, some clubs are private, like Bragantino, and some are civic associations. Among the heads of these associations there is a great diversity in terms of their experience, they have excellent resumes. “I arrived just like the person who sat at the table,” said Textor.

The main debate between the clubs revolves around the division of quotas. Libra placed the terms 40% equally, 30% for the tournament, and 30% for the subscription. The “opponents” do not agree and suggest 50%-25%-25%. John Textor downplayed the issue.

– In the formula, I’m not sure about the current situation, but the way it started, 40-30-30 … 40% divided equally, 30% based on performance and 30% on fan interaction. The only thing I’ve tried to say is, now, as time goes on, because this formula will be used for so many years, it would be amazing if rules were put in place to encourage certain kinds of behaviors, ones that help everyone. Yes, this formula is very thoughtful in relation to the past, in those who bring value. Yes, Flamengo, Corinthians and Palmeiras deserve it. But it’s also very much about the future. You want the people who are now, the investors who are not yet in that equation, you want them to invest in a way that helps everyone,” said John Textor.

Rather than having these metrics that are hard to measure and easy to manipulate like social media followers, that kind of thing, I think could have bad consequences in the future. What matters is who draws attention to the game. Fans matter, fans who really support. Television audience is important, which is measured very accurately in the world. Running is important. Which clubs are doing a better job of drawing attention to the Brazilian League as a whole? This should be rewarded, because this is how we should encourage even the smallest clubs to get investors. The world is changing, and so is Brazil. We mean: this is what everyone should be looking for, and the rules for how to distribute money tell you how to act. I just suggested that we don’t look so much at formulas in thinking about where we are now, but encourage where we want to be in the future. “

Finally, Jon Textor thanked Libra’s founding clubs for welcoming them, which he hopes to add to his knowledge of the Premier League and other leagues.

– I expected to arrive at this meeting yesterday as the “American who arrives late to the party and doesn’t know how Brazilian football works”, and they don’t want to listen to me, because they are big and successful…why do they care? But I have to say, Rodrigo. I was made more welcome than I could have imagined. I knew I was going to meet nice people, but I didn’t think they would be so willing, to be so open, to hear a different perspective. We really got hugged. They welcomed us with an open mind to ideas that I believed were immutable and immutable. They were very open to change. Some in the short term will be difficult, but we are talking about the resilience of this model in years two, three and five. I think this is the right group, and it’s not right to say that they don’t care about others. They want to make the league grow and make everyone stronger.”