
Fuppes / Society21.08.2011
The barra bravas: the violent Argentinian gangs controlling football
The more lucrative the club becomes, the bigger the piece of the pie the fans claim. It's estimated the most powerful barras pull in thousands every month through ticket and parking rackets, and by controlling the lion's share of club merchandise and refreshments inside the stadiums. And it doesn't stop there. Gustavo Grabia, an Argentinian journalist who has spent years investigating football corruption, claims the biggest barras also receive up to 30% of transfer fees when a player leaves and up to 20% of some players' paychecks.