• Opinion: Save the Students

What would be of the Spanish baskets without the Students? It is the unfriendly face of basketball, which does not appear in the photo of the golds. The desperate cry, were masks and modesty, of a historical entity. "So far we have arrived. We need five million . We are not willing to continue crawling."

In La Fridge it is colder than ever and not because the first team does not carbure in the Endesa League, because this stopped being new. In the courtyard of the school not only more points are needed (they are second to last in the ACB), especially tickets that prevent closing. The SOS is a Manifesto, a campaign on change.org to seek support, a capital increase as a last resort and the words that Fernando Galindo walks with despair. "The debt with the Treasury kills us. It is unbearable," proclaims the president; because romanticism does not feed on the air.

There are seven million euros (five more interest) due, 1.4 per year. That was 14 when the club went to bankruptcy proceedings in 2011 . It's about being able to look to the future, but these nightmares come from the past. "When you spend more than you have, you leave economic holes. It is clear that something would be done wrong. If you talk to managers of that time, they told you, 'but how are they going to dare to close Students.' Of those parties, Now we have to pay this, "Galindo protests.

"A Chinese, Arab investor ..."

The anguish has exceeded the limit, because there is no guarantee that the first team can survive beyond this course. To such an extent that from the collegial entity they are willing to do everything. Or almost. "We work in two directions, simultaneously, although we prefer one more: that the capital increase be dispersed," they acknowledge. Because the other, which is a patron - "a Chinese, Arab investor, whatever" - carries risks. Isn't disappearing the same as losing the essence? "We are scared and that is why we have reserved the right of veto ."

Because Estu, what was invented by Professor Magariños, who made it historical and essential names without which Spanish basketball is not understood - from Antonio Díaz Miguel to Juancho Hernangómez , through Juan Martínez Arroyo, Gonzalo Sagi Vela, Fernando Martín, Alberto Herreros, Carlos Jiménez, Pepu Hernández, Aíto García Reneses, Sergio Rodríguez, Felipe and Alfonso Reyes ...-, who took Dementia from the stands, from Istanbul to Vistalegre, is much more. They are values ​​and social commitment. It is the largest quarry in Europe, 2,500 boys and girls, 257 with other capacities. And that supposes more than 50% of the almost six million budget of a club suffocated, that fights to be able to fulfill with a smile the 75 years of a unique history.

"We are going to the institutions: It's all right! We don't have any help, neither from the City Council nor from the Community, " complains the president, fed up with juggling. That details: "It costs us to play WiZink almost 18,000 euros per game, more than 300,000 a year. Most ACB teams have municipal pavilions that not only play in them, they also exploit it. To play in Europe, we had to go Torrejón, who left it for free. It's unfortunate. "

The Joventut example

At the bottom of the problem, an unsustainable model. Therefore, since the club that maintains the RM in its shield (of the Ramiro de Maeztu ), they do not try to deceive. They clearly pronounce what an evidence is, so that nobody gets scared. Don't come here thinking about getting rich. "Madrid and Barça are in another league. They lose around 30 million per year . But there is not a single ACB team that has satisfactory results. Or it depends on football clubs, or institutions or some patron, like Valencia or now Joventut. Hopefully we will find it, I have healthy envy. Basketball is not business and you have to say it clearly. "

There was talk of Atlético de Madrid, although there is not and there was no conversation. But the ideal model for the survival of which Movistar has been called for a few years is in the only Spanish club that supports the comparison. The Joventut, who was also against the economic ropes for nothing, has found oxygen in the Grifols family . It maintains the essence and has recovered the vital signs. Because as Fernando Galindo concludes, "the day we have to close the quarry, we are leaving." Let the bullfighters out, but with dignity.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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