€15 turns into €400! Barcelona players discover a shocking business built on their autographs
Barcelona players have found themselves at the centre of an unusual business that has developed around their autographs.
Details: According to journalist Carlos Monfort, a lucrative resale business has emerged outside Barcelona's training ground. People regularly gather near the facility, waiting for footballers to sign shirts that are subsequently sold for hundreds of euros. A shirt purchased for approximately €15 can reportedly fetch between €300 and €400 once it carries a Barcelona player's signature.
The Barcelona players have reportedly become aware that some people approaching them for autographs are not ordinary supporters but resellers seeking to profit from their signatures. As a result, certain footballers have started asking fans for their names before signing shirts.
By adding a personal dedication alongside their autograph, the players make the merchandise considerably harder to resell. A shirt bearing a specific person's name is less attractive to potential buyers than one carrying only a footballer's signature.
Barcelona have also reportedly introduced technological measures to monitor the situation around their training facility. The club is said to be using drones and artificial intelligence to track how many people are waiting near each exit, allowing it to monitor the gatherings of autograph hunters.
Interestingly, the reported resale figures mean that a shirt originally costing €15 can be sold for approximately 20 to 27 times its purchase price after receiving a player's autograph.
Reminder: Unexpected! Will Busquets replace Flick at Barcelona?
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
