Strange things Barcelona is doing for the new-old Camp Nou

It is still strange to see Barcelona playing at the Lluís Companys Stadium, an Olympic stadium built on Montjuic hill while awaiting the complete renovation of the new Camp Nou. As expected, the club is losing several million euros this season due to the difference in the number of spectators that Lluís Companys can accommodate compared to Camp Nou (55,000 versus 99,000), a stadium that was also an important tourist destination for the city. Barcelona had already estimated in recent months a loss of around 90 million euros a year, expecting to return to the new stadium with a 70% capacity, reducing the economic hole before being able to count on full capacity, from which the club will have a guaranteed income of more than 150 million euros per season. It is curious how the blaugrana have been launching new initiatives related to the demolition of the old stadium and the construction of the new one in the last period, all aimed at creating new experiences for the fans and making money on all the remains of the old Camp Nou, from the pitch to the goal nets. With the aim of dismantling the original structure, Barça is selling off all kinds of remnants, with fans already starting to take home clods of the old turf like tourists stealing sand from exotic beaches or stones from archaeological sites.  

The turf trodden in recent years by Messi, Xavi and Iniesta seems to be a great asset for the club. In addition to the turfs sold inside a miniature stadium for 50€ and another larger option priced at 420€, the club recently found a way to turn the turf into diamonds. Using a sustainable chemical process, the Blaugrana extracted carbon from the blades of grass, crystallized it and transformed it into diamonds, which were sold individually for 15000€ (1 carat) and 2500€ (0.5 carat). Other diamonds were then set in jewelry sold in the Barcelona store, creating a collection called 'Full of history, full of future'. Barça's idea of earning money from the dismantling of the pitch also involves the goals, whose nets were cut, framed and put on sale for 80€, a perfect gift for the culers and fans of Messi, who over the years has had a special feeling for those nets.  

Looking at the new stadium, the most curious initiative the club has unveiled at the moment is probably the mausoleum that will be able to hold 26600 urns of Blaugrana fans, to which will also be added a 180sqm area for around 9000 commemorative plaques. To have an urn placed at the FC Barcelona memorial will cost between 250 and 6,000 euros, while a plaque will cost 300 euros. The initiative is undoubtedly unusual but reflects the aim of making the new Spotify Cam Nou a multi-purpose centre, where weddings will also be celebrated, with different packages depending on the guests and the services required at the stadium. 

We don't know if Barcelona will also start selling bricks from the stadium, or flasks with 'Camp Nou air' inside. The team's economic situation has not been the best for some time now, so it cannot be ruled out that we will see other initiatives of this kind, and that the club's store will be transformed into a true wonder market, full of collectibles.