(Reuters) – Argentine social media personality Santiago Maratea, regionally known for organizing large-scale collections and raising awareness on social issues, could now be the savior of one of the most popular top-flight teams in the country.
The Buenos Aires-based club Independiente faces an economic crisis with multi-million-dollar debts accumulated over the years, mainly for transfers, now totaling more than $20 million, according to local reports.
Maratea kicked off on Thursday a collection that has been in the works for a week since he shared his idea on Twitter.
“Independiente has 6 million fans and something like 115,000 members (who pay 4,000 Argentine pesos ($18.02) per month,” he wrote on April 20.
“If only 2 million fans pay once the same amount as a member pays every month, you can collect 20 million dollars and pay off the debt.”
“If I make this collection I would do it as I do the rest, making sure that I have 100% of the management of the money and thus guaranteeing that no one can steal a single peso.”
Maratea told a news conference on Thursday the fundraising will be completely transparent, with the creation of a trust that will be exclusively held by fans where he will keep 4% of the proceeds to cover the expenses involved in its creation.
“There are lawyers and notaries here to check that everything is in the right way,” said 30-year-old Maratea, who previously shared the links for donations on social media.
“The (club) board does not have a vote on where the money goes, I am the trustee. We will talk later but the priority is to pay the most urgent debts.”
Maratea, at the conclusion of the news conference held at Independiente’s stadium, said he had already raised 74 million pesos ($333,333) in less than an hour.
By 1800 local time the amount had risen to 324 million pesos ($1.46 million), according to local broadcaster TyC Sports.
($1 = 222.0000 Argentine pesos)
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Leslie Adler)
