Pedrinho Plans to Move Flamengo Derby to São Januário
The decision to host the derby away from the Maracanã comes after Vasco was barred from playing Boca Juniors there in the Sudamericana.
Vasco da Gama president Pedrinho plans to host the derby against Flamengo at São Januário for the Campeonato Brasileiro. The decision comes after the Maracanã stadium consortium denied the venue for Vasco's match against Boca Juniors. Bernardo Ramos analyzes the concession dispute and critiques the push to abandon the iconic arena.
Vasco's board, led by club president Pedrinho, plans to host the derby against Flamengo at São Januário for the Campeonato Brasileiro. The measure comes as retaliation after the Maracanã stadium management consortium denied Vasco access to the venue for their Copa Sudamericana semifinal clash against Boca Juniors.
Maracanã management and the veto prerogative
For Bernardo Ramos, moving the derby away from the Maracanã harms the history of Rio de Janeiro football and ignores the legal reality of the stadium. The management consortium comprises Flamengo, which holds a 65% stake, and Fluminense, with 35%. Because they shoulder high maintenance costs and pitch renovations, the concession holders hold the prerogative to veto matches from other clubs, much like Botafogo manages the Engenhão or Vasco operates São Januário. In the video above, Bernardo Ramos breaks down the backstage battle and analyzes each side's institutional arguments.
Addressing criticism regarding the Maracanã being used for other purposes, such as an NFL game, Bernardo emphasizes that the international event generated no direct revenue for Flamengo, but instead brought $300,000 to stadium management. This falls under the quota of up to six annual dates reserved for the Rio de Janeiro state government, independent of any initiative by the Gávea club.
Long-term concession and the Gasômetro stadium project
Debate over the stadium also involves political statements, such as former player Edmundo's proposal to intervene in the concession. Bernardo points out that the consortium's current contract with the state government spans 28 years, rendering unilateral attempts to breach the agreement legally unfeasible.
The legal certainty of the concession has also influenced the construction timeline of Flamengo's planned new arena. Following the acquisition of the Gasômetro plot for R$ 140 million under former president Rodolfo Landim, club president Bap negotiated with Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes to remove the strict completion deadline previously set for 2029. With an estimated budget of roughly 2 billion reais, the project will advance without sudden debt, keeping the Maracanã as Flamengo's primary home for years to come.