BYD makes offer to change the name of the São Paulo stadium, repeating a pun from the current rights holder; payment would be much higher than the current one
BYD has started preliminary consultations with the board of directors of São Paulo Futebol Clube to assess the feasibility of taking over the naming rights of the Morumbi stadium, UOL said. The move, confirmed by sources linked to the tricolor summit, comes amid the manufacturer’s aggressive expansion strategy in Brazil and may result in the stadium changing its name to MorumBYD — following the nickname MorumBis, currently adopted.
The Asian company’s move puts into perspective the club’s current contract with Mondelez, owner of the BIS chocolate brand. Signed in early 2024, the current agreement is valid for three years and yields approximately R$ 75 million (about R$ 25 million per year) to São Paulo’s coffers. While the current partnership is considered a marketing and engagement success, BYD’s intended financial contribution could significantly exceed current values.
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BYD’s interest is not isolated. The automaker, which recently inaugurated its industrial operation in Camaçari (BA), has used the sport as a global showcase, sponsoring events of magnitude such as the Euro Cup and the Copa America. In the Brazilian context, Morumbi is seen as a strategic asset due to its visibility in the capital of São Paulo and the stadium modernization and renovation project planned for the coming years.
The São Paulo board, led by president Julio Casares, maintains public caution on the subject. Interlocutors of the club point out that there is a contractual ethical and legal commitment with Mondelez, but admit that probes of multinationals of this size are treated as a priority in the agenda of new business.
If the negotiation advances, São Paulo would consolidate itself as one of the largest collectors with commercial stadium properties in the country, leveling itself with the agreements of rivals such as Palmeiras (Allianz Parque) and Corinthians (Neo Química Arena), whose naming rights contracts orbit high financial levels.
