The Boca Juniors case: From recreational play and practice to consolidate an international brand.

Abstract

This article analyzes how a sport centennial civil association
can become into an international corporate brand. Taking as
its starting point the commodification of sport as a result of the
neoliberal policies, I am going to focalize in how this business
relationship is manifested in the Club Atlético Boca Juniors
(CABJ), the pioneer Argentinean institution in communication
and business management, and the perceptions of the
supporters about this economical practices in its entity. In
recent years, the CABJ transited various modifications in its
organization to get adapted to the new business
management, leaning towards the ethics of profit and sport
marketing strategies. In addition, an external communication
model was prioritized –to add profitability– relegating the
internal communication consequently. To do this, the political
leaders of the lasts terms rigorously established a new model
to follow with a mission, vision and values that would base
this mode of administration, incorporating innovate
managements, departments and secretaries for the new
performance and image of the institution. With the
implementation of this plan, the consequences were
immediate: more profits but less social role.