Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Botafogo has agreed a partnership with Soccer Hospitality that will lead to the development of a new premium hospitality and entertainment space at its Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos.
The space, entitled FireZone, will be introduced at the Rio de Janeiro venue in July or August and aims to provide modern entertainment with a variety of experiences, both during sports games and other events.
Some R$2m (£328,000/€382,000/$417,000) is set to be invested in the space, which will have capacity for more than 1,000 people. In addition to be being able to enjoy seats on the half-way line of the pitch, Botafogo fans will be able to meet club legends in the FireZone along with enjoying enhanced service options.
FireZone will offer an open bar, gourmet cuisine, a barber shop, a tattoo studio, LED screens and a stage to host concerts, which are also expected to take place on days when there are no matches. Botafogo said the venture will be similar to that of an event house, strengthening the non-matchday usage of the Nilton Santos.
Thairo Arruda, general director of Botafogo, said: “As already happens in the great stadia of Brazilian football, now Nilton Santos will also have a special space dedicated to providing a unique experience for the fans.
“It is an improvement that adds value to the stadium and also brings us even more business opportunities.”
Soccer Hospitality has already developed similar offerings in the stadia of the four major clubs of São Paulo – Estádio do Morumbi (São Paulo), Estádio Urbano Caldeira (Santos), Neo Química Arena (Corinthians) and Allianz Parque (Palmeiras).
Léo Rizzo, CEO of Soccer Hospitality, said: “For us, it is of great value to expand our area of operation, especially when it comes to Estádio Nilton Santos, a multi-purpose stadium that is one of the main venues in the country, which hosts Botafogo games, a club that historically is one of the biggest in Brazil.
“We have great expectations for the inauguration of this space, which will offer the best experiences to Glorioso fans.”
Following his takeover in February 2022, Botafogo is now majority owned by American businessman John Textor. The Nilton Santos has undergone recent modernisation, with the change from natural grass to synthetic grass, allowing for greater flexibility in the hosting of events.
The Nilton Santos staged a Coldplay concert in March and is due to host The Weeknd in October, followed by Red Hot Chili Peppers, RBD and Taylor Swift in November.
