Various factors combine to make finding the stickers of the players who will participate in the event a real adventure for collectors. The explanations are given by the firm that publishes it, among which a greater number of women buying the product stand out and that the appointment could mark the last appearance of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The World Cup is there, just around the corner. There are less than two months left before the start of the main sporting event on the planet, which will be held in Qatar. And, as much as the FIFA Appeals Chamber’s ruling in the Byron Castillo case kept the Asian country away from Chile, pending a CAS ruling, The interest in closely following the tournament which will bring together the 32 best teams in the world is growing . One example is the phenomenon that sparked the album that contains national team numbers.
In newsstands, it is difficult to find the sheets. Obtaining them has become a real adventure for collectors. Not just in Chile. In Argentina, for example, the government met with Panini, the company that publishes the register. He did it precisely to try to speed up the production of figures which, in the case of the Transandean country, have added value: everyone is fighting to obtain that of Lionel Messi, the main star of the team led by his namesake Scaloni.
But, Why is it so hard to find prints for the World Cup album? The answer is given by Rodrigo Vallecillos, general manager of Panini in Chile. “There are leaves, but we are in a process of transition. It produces less than demand. They will start arriving from Brazil. In this World Cup, unlike the one in Russia, in the first month of sale, the entire previous World Cup was completed. Not only the ranked countries, but in all . Chile is no stranger to the experience of Argentina or Colombia. Demand far exceeds forecasts . There was no way to determine. The reference rate is that of previous World Cups. And, clearly, he was overwhelmed, ”says the senior executive.
pandemic effect
Several factors explain the scarcity of films perceived by consumers. “Commodities have been scarcer in the post-pandemic period. It was harder to get it. The factory works 24/7 to produce for the market. There is one in Sao Paulo, Brazil, which supplies the entire western hemisphere, from Mexico to the south. Today, in Chile, the pace of sales is the same as in Brazil in 2014, with the golden generation in the world cup . We supply in installments. The speed of consumption has been totally off the charts, super successful,” says Vallecillos. Panini’s parent company is based in Modena, Italy.
“Collection has increased in times of pandemic, no doubt . In the case of the World Cup, it also has to do with the connection of the event. The album has always been the first product associated with the World Cup. It was already requested after the playoffs. There was a strong, superior interest, ”said the executive.
Currently, all the company’s efforts are focused on Qatar 2022-related production. Meanwhile, at the same time, it is trying to understand the phenomenon. “There is a problem that we are monitoring. Before this World Cup, 5% of album consumers were women. Today it is around 20%. There is an additional audience that adds to the consumption . We are monitoring this in different points of sale, ”he explains.
There is another number that depicts the target audience. “98% of football album consumers are over 18 years old. There is a theme of nostalgia and human heritage in the collection of objects . The album makes it possible to socialize: exchange, participate in networks, collaborate. It all leads to a community that is having a lot of fun in this segment,” he says.
Memory
Besides the World Cup itself, there is another milestone that explains the explosion in demand. “There are different theories: it’s the last world cup Messi Yes Cristiano Ronaldo , so the record is searched. Or Messi’s golden sticker . But it also happens thatThis is the first post-pandemic event. Change the date, the level of contact people have. The main thing is to keep the memory of Messi and Ronaldo, two players who marked an era », Values Vallecillos.
Collectors have four album options available: a hardcover, a softcover, and finally a silver and a gold. In Chile, the hard covers sold out in two weeks. The most basic costs 3,000 pesos and each sheet envelope $750. The publisher’s website publishes a bundle containing the silver version and 150 envelopes for $122,000. The Gold version, with 200 packs, costs $159,500. “All countries receive all four editions. Each country makes an estimate of the volume and they are sent. We decided to bring all the possibilities. We are planning to bring a new batch of hardcover albums in October “says Vallecillos. The album is the same in 90% of the countries. The shades go through a slight difference in the number of sheets, which responds to market differentiation. “In Brazil, Mexico and Chile, the album is the same,” emphasizes Vallecillos.
The Postman Byron Castillo
On Friday in Zurich, Chile’s World Cup aspirations received another blow. For the second time, in the judicial bodies of FIFA, the attempt to qualify for football’s highest event through administrative channels has failed. For the producers of the World Cup album, the situation was also under control.
“Byron Castillo didn’t delay the album. Work begins much earlier. If Ecuador had been sanctioned and Chile had to come in what would have been, that’s an update. An incorporated pastern. The original album would have gone with Ecuador and then the update would come out,” says Vallecillos. “If that had happened, it would have been a milestone. In all the World Cups, there is a character who is injured, someone who leaves or who goes up at the last moment. All of this happens. It’s different to change a whole team. Or take someone else out. it’s harder “, he concludes. Incidentally, the appeal that Chile will present to the CAS keeps this scenario open.
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Source: Latercera
I am Sandra Jackson, a journalist and content creator with extensive experience in the news industry. I have been working in the news media for over five years. During this time, I have worked as an author and editor at various outlets producing high-quality content that attracts readers from different demographics.
