Consulting the members is a tradition at FC Barcelona
Democracy forms part of the Club's unique nature and also part of its very being since its foundation in 1899. Only with the arrival of the Franco dictatorship in 1939 were the democratic principals of FC Barcelona violently supressed. However, as the years went by, the Club were able to return to the practice of involving its members, something that is now a traditional part of the Club's make up.
The coming 19 December will the first ever online referendum in the 122 year history of FC Barcelona but not the first time that members have been called upon to take a vital decision for the Club's future.
NOVEMBER 1950
On 8,9,10,11 and 12 November 1950, under the presidency of Agustí Montal Galobart, the first plebiscite amongst the members was held on the subject of the purchase of land close to La Maternitat in Barcelona for the construction of a new stadium.
The result saw 7,835 votes in favour of the stadium's construction and 1,132 against. Two days later FC Barcelona held an extraordinary Assembly in which 159 delegates approved the purchase of the land. Camp Nou was opened on 24 September 1957.
DECEMBER 1961
On 31 December 1961, a referendum amongst members was held on the sale of the former stadium site at Les Corts. A total of 4,956 votes were cast. The results showed 12 votes in favour of retaining the stadium in Les Corts, 540 votes in favour of the sale of the land once approval came from the City Council; 4,031 votes in favour of the creation of an FC Barcelona real estate section and 373 blank votes. The referendum was only advisory and in the end the land at Les Corts was sold five years later in May 1966.
SEPTEMBER 1965
On 22 September 1965, president Enric Llaudet announced the results of a binding vote amongst members to give the stadium a name. The name selected by the most members was Estadio de CF Barcelona (12,434), followed by Estadio Barça (10,484); Estadio Juan Gamper (9,389); Estadio Azulgrana (9,355), Estadio Camp Nou (8,394); Estadio Las Corts del CF Barcelona (2,699), Estadio Condal del CF Barcelona (1,820), Estadio Miró-Sans (1,808), Estadio del CF Barcelona 1899 (1,588) and Estadio del CF Barcelona 1957 (823). The name Estadio CF Barcelona thereby gained official status but the popular name remained Camp Nou.
APRIL 2001
In April 2001, the Board of Directors led by president Joan Gaspart sent a letter to all members with a questionnaire on various subjects of interest. One such question was if the stadium should conserve its official names or adopt the popular version. 29,102 votes were cast and the results were conclusive: members decided that the stadium should be officially known as Camp Nou with 68.25% in favour against the 29.64% who wished the official name to remain Estadi de FC Barcelona. During the Club's General Assembly on 23 July 2001 it was announced that the stadium's official name would be changes from Estadi FC Barcelona to Camp Nou.
For the rest of the questions put forward in the questionnaire, the results were:
- Limiting presidential mandates to two terms: 68.8 in favour, 30.02% against. Up until then, the president could be re-elected without limit.
- The proposal for the possible transformation of the Club into a PLC to be passed by 75% of votes in favour at the Assembly (and that the number represented the majority of the total of delegates) received 85.53% support whilst the proposal that two thirds of the vote would suffice from the member delegates present received 11.36% of the vote.
- The possible inclusion of sponsors on the shirt as long as the Assembly of Delegates approved, received 80.83% of the votes whilst 17% voted in favour of the decision being taken by the Board of Directors.
APRIL 2014
On 5 April 2014, under the presidency of Josep Maria Bartomeu, a referendum amongst members was held on the Espai Barça project, a large scale initiative that included the complete redesign of Camp Nou, the building of a new Pala Blaugrana, the complete transformation of the area surrounding the stadium and the transfer of the Miniestadi to the Ciutat Esportiva in Sant Joan Despí, all with a budget of 600 million euros. The result was 27,161 votes in favour, 9,589 against. The project was approved with the building work to take place between 2018 and 2022, with an obvious delay ensuing.
