Athletic’s cosy relationship has Sociedad fuming

Athletic Bilbao have a fine new stadium, but did it make sense for local authorities to spend so much money on one structure while cutting funding to programs supporting culture, education and infrastructure?

People attend a Athletic Bilbao training session at the new San Mames stadium in the Northern Spanish Basque city of Bilbao this week. Rafa Rivas / AFP

Athletic Bilbao played their first game at their San Mames home on Monday night. It will seat 53,000 when finished next season and be the third-biggest stadium in the Primera Liga. Athletic and Valencia claim their grounds can accommodate 54,000; the safety authorities say otherwise.

For now, the capacity at San Mames is 36,700 on three sides. The fourth side, on the site of their old stadium, which was demolished in the summer, will soon be ready. The new San Mames resembles Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium.

Spain has deep economic problems, but the Basque country is one of its richest regions.

Athletic fans were sad to see their historic home demolished, after 99 years and 11 months of use, but they have welcomed their new stadium and the increased capacity will make them wealthier. But what do a club who recruit only Basque players spend that money on and is their cosy relationship with the local authorities healthy? Athletic paid just €33 million (Dh161.7m) towards the €173m cost of their new home, less than they made on the sale of Javi Martinez.

The Basque and local governments have put more money into the new stadium than any other venue in the region, while cutting subsidies to culture, infrastructure and education. Athletic are huge in the Basque country but not everyone supports them or even likes football. With good reason, neighbouring Real Sociedad fans are jealous of the help Athletic receive from the public purse.