The São Paulo Metro will receive proposals in September to grant the naming rights of the Vergueiro station on the 1-Blue line. This concession allows a brand to be associated with the name of each one, as already occurs at stops like Carrão-Assaí Atacadista, thus raising funds for maintenance. However, for the first time, the process prohibits the use of sports betting platforms, alcoholic beverages, religious entities, and other categories.
The naming rights concession process seeks to increase the company's non-tariff revenues, modernize the visual communication of the stations, and improve passenger orientation by associating brands with urban daily life. The winning company will be able to add a commercial name to the station name, but the Metro will have veto power over the choice.
According to the company, this is the first time that the sale is made with the prohibition of using names of betting sites, known as bets. The restriction also covers alcoholic beverages, religious entities, political-party institutions, personalities, among others.
The concession of names has already been applied to other stations, such as Anhangabaú and Brigadeiro, although the contracts for these stops are still in the phase of documentation analysis. Menat Representação Comercial won the contracts for these stations, with monthly values of R$ 120,000 and R$ 155,000, respectively, and may resell the naming rights to other brands.
Other stations, like Clínicas, also underwent concession processes, but the winner did not present the necessary documentation, resulting in the cancellation of the contract. The Companhia Paulista de Trens Metropolitanos (CPTM) has also considered the concession of naming rights, but it did not advance due to lack of market interest.
Mobility experts, such as Rafael Calabria, warn about the possible confusion generated by the change of names of the stations, which serve as geographical references. He believes that this practice can negatively impact passengers, especially those of low income, but that the discomfort can be underestimated.
Renato Cymbalista, a professor at FAU-USP, advocates the need for public debates on the subject, arguing that the names of the stations carry important memories of the city.
However, the Metro assured that the sale of the naming rights was approved by the Commission for the Protection of the Urban Landscape (CPPU) of the São Paulo City Hall.
Source: Folha
