Global Fútbol

After there was debt carried over from the previous ownership of Burgos CF, an amount which put the viability of the club at risk, fans can now breathe a sigh of relief because “there are no longer debts of any kind”.

This reassuring comment came out of an interview with Diego Martínez, the 36-year-old Burgos native who is the current general director of Burgos CF. He discussed how they have managed to stay afloat since the ownership of the club changed in summer 2021, just after Los Blanquinegros achieved promotion to LaLiga SmartBank, and what the main projects for future growth and development are.

-Burgos CF won promotion back into professional football in the summer of 2021 after 20 years away, but the club did so with financial problems and it was difficult to register players for LaLiga action. How did that promotion help the club’s recovery and how has the debt been solved?

It was an important achievement. Prior to that promotion there had been another ownership which, being moderate, hadn’t been managing the club efficiently or correctly. The promotion helped a lot, but when the new board came in we uncovered a new surprise every day when analysing the debts.

Little by little we understood the challenge we were facing. It was difficult, especially at the beginning, until we had dealt with all the debts that existed with suppliers or even non-payments to employees. Although drastic, we sketched out a realistic picture of the club's financial situation. Based on the income we expected to have at that time, we designed a payment plan. It was also difficult with the registration of players. I remember how in the week before the first LaLiga matchday we still hadn't been able to register any players because we had a debt with FIFA that prevented us from doing so.

Those weeks were intense, but everyone was pulling in the same direction and we managed to move the team forward. We managed to register the club with LaLiga and we managed to compete and compete well. Promotion allowed the club to stay alive in an organised fashion. If we hadn't defeated Bilbao Athletic in that promotion playoff, I don't know what would have happened, but the survival of Burgos CF would have been quite complicated.

-On top of all that, there were issues with the infrastructure of the stadium.

Exactly. El Plantío was built in 1964 and hadn’t hosted professional football for 20 years. In those 20 years, football had changed a lot, mainly in terms of broadcast regulations, the need for VAR cameras and other central camera and master shots, press booths, dressing rooms... There was a lot of work needing done. I remember that on the day I arrived the whole pitch was lifted up. It hadn't been for a long time. A new drainage system was installed, with a modern and up-to-date irrigation system, while we also laid sod. It was a success. Despite the complicated climate of Burgos, we had no problems throughout the season.

-At present, can you confirm that Burgos CF is no longer in debt?

We can say that the viability of the club is fully assured in an economic sense. In the short term, there are no debts of any kind. LaLiga’s Economic Control framework and financial mechanisms have been a guide that has shown us the way. It would be great if all our football divisions had a supervisory apparatus of this calibre. Without it, we wouldn’t be here.

-After coming through that difficult period, the club can now celebrate its centenary in 2022. How is the club using this historic milestone to reinforce its brand image and to strengthen it?

Our club’s history speaks for itself. Burgos is a city in Castile and León that, as one of our slogans says, breathes pride and tradition. We didn't want to turn the centenary into a show that didn't fit in with who we are. That's why we created the ‘Infinite Feeling' branding because the love for the club’s badge and history is present in all our supporters’ hearts. We published a book that will be an eternal memory for all of them and, for the end of the season, we have prepared a spectacular event that will mark a before and after. It will also be an unforgettable memory. Nobody will be left unmoved by that.

-A promotion can be a good time to grow the fanbase. What are you doing to increase the number of supporters and to connect with younger fans?

We are working hard on the social side. With everything we do, we're very aware of our youth academy. We believe it is the most powerful tool for building loyalty among the younger generations, who are the future and the lifeblood of a club. Specifically, we used a line from the Burgos anthem, “Cementing the Resurgence”, as the slogan for this year's season ticket campaign. We could lower the price of season tickets, as that would be an easy and immediate way to get fans, especially younger ones, to come to us, but we don't want to be just short-termist. We prefer to work little by little on sowing the seeds of a feeling that will blossom, meaning those who join us will stay forever.

-In this effort to reach more fans and to involve the city, the club used one of the most iconic elements of the city of Burgos (the Cathedral) to present the new kits. What is the club’s relationship with these elements that characterise the city and the city’s brand and how does this help the club make an impact further afield?

It's going to be difficult to top that (laughs)! Really, we see Burgos CF as yet another monument. Our city's football team should be an extra part of all that is worth visiting. We want people to be able to visit our Cathedral, eat a black pudding pincho and come to see a match, visit the stadium or buy a shirt. Burgos has a lot to offer in terms of World Heritage, with the Archaeological site of Atapuerca, the Camino de Santiago, etc. Burgos CF is yet another treasure.

-What is the club’s roadmap in a business sense?

Any roadmap must involve consolidating the club’s place in professional football. With this, the youth academy is once again an important pillar. We must establish agreements with clubs in the international sphere, so that we can organises exchanges and experiences for players. We recently signed a merger agreement with one of the most important youth sides in the city. We are investing time and methodologies so that the youth system, which some might view as a cost, becomes profitable in the future.

-Digitalisation and internationalisation are key for clubs to work on for their growth and development. What is Burgos CF doing in these areas?

On a commercial level, the Burgos business sector has been fundamental. We have leaned heavily on the business fabric of the big brands that operate here. We know that they will always be with us. But, we can’t stop there, as we have to start looking further afield, always supported by digitalisation so that every euro of investment has a possible return adapted to modern times. This is where we have a lot of room for growth.

-Burgos CF didn’t concede a goal this season until Matchday 11. How have you made the most of this sporting milestone and how has this helped raise your profile abroad?

It was crazy. As the matches went by, motivation grew to try to extend the run. The media coverage exceeded all expectations and our communications department worked hard for that to be the case. They have done a great job and I’d even say they had a bit of a hard time (laughs), because so many media outlets wanted to dedicate some space to Burgos CF in their reports. Both local and international media were very interested in our great little feat, on television, radio or in the written press. People said to me: “Diego, you're on the BBC!” or “Have you seen this morning's edition of La Gazzeta dello Sport?” It was incredible.

-What does Burgos CF think about Boost LaLiga and what are the main projects you want to develop?

Thanks to the agreement with CVC, we have been able to undertake projects that otherwise would have taken 10 years to develop. One of the most exciting is the construction of two VIP boxes, located at the corners where the south and north stands meet the lateral stand. They are already operational and the feedback has been tremendous. We’re really happy with the result because, as well as keeping the design and image we want to project at El Plantío, these boxes can be used outside of matchdays. They are already being used for conferences, exhibitions, meetings or private events for companies and individuals, as well as for events of the Burgos CF Foundation. We are able to bring the most influential stakeholders of our community into the very heart of our institution, which is none other than our stadium.