CÓRDOBA (special envoy).– That the entrance, that the ticket, that the stay, that the tolls, that the food, that the parking… Going to the field in Argentina became a privilege that not all fans can access. Especially if your team plays hundreds of kilometers from Buenos Aires. This Saturday, The capital of Cordoba woke up full of River and Boca fans who, despite the difficult economic situation that the country is going through, traveled from different parts of the map to witness this Sunday’s superclásico at the Mario Alberto Kempes stadium. Buses, private cars and vans from different clubs and subsidiaries were the most used means to arrive to the Mediterranean province, where Starting Friday, hotel and restaurant prices went through the roof. Between 15% and 30% more. How much does it cost, in total, to see River-Boca?
Although the bulk of the fans will arrive on Sunday, the center, the bus terminal and the Ingeniero Aeronáutico Ambrosio Travella airport were dyed with the colors of Boca and River from the early hours of this Saturday. Luciano, a Xeneize fan, and Cristian, his cousin, who is “sick” of the millionaire, traveled together from Retiro and will stay at a friend’s apartment in Barrio Argüello, about five kilometers from Kempes. “We just had enough for the entrance, the bus and the food. If we had to pay for a hotel, we wouldn’t arrive,” they say. THE NATION. They paid $46,000 for the ticket each, $31,500 for the popular ticket, and brought another $40,000 to pay for the trip to the stadium “and a chori at the exit of the field.” By order of the Professional League, the ticket prices for the Superclásico cost twice as much as the rest of the quarterfinal matches (Argentinos Juniors-Defensa, Estudiantes-Barracas and Godoy Cruz-Vélez): $10,500 for the general and $18,900 per audience, plus an extra 5% service cost.
Nahuel and Leonela live in Morón, they are a couple and share a passion for the millionaire. They left on Friday at 9:30 p.m. from the Flores terminal and arrived in Córdoba on Saturday at 8 in the morning. The bus that was transporting them suffered a technical fault near Rosario (a strap had to be changed) and they had to wait an hour to continue with the adventure. “The trip is salty, but we couldn’t miss this game,” they convince themselves. They spent $110,000 on tickets (to be paid in six installments) and $136,000 for the nights of Saturday and Sunday in a three-star hotel. To that we must add about $13,000 for a round trip taxi to the stadium and food. In the center, a café con leche with two croissants costs around $2,800. The large mozzarella, $7,600. And a liter beer, the most popular, $5,800.
But the wait was long and no one wants to be left out of this new edition of the Superclásico. The last time Boca and River met with the public of both teams was on December 9, 2018, in Madrid, for the final of the Copa Libertadores. Since then, there have been 13 other confrontations, six in the Monumental, six in the Bombonera and one in the Ciudad de La Plata. 11 were only with local bias, while the rest were played behind closed doors.
“Two hundred and fifty lucas each.” I weigh more, I weigh less, that’s what Jonathan, Armando, Thiago and Ariel will spend at the end of the trip to Córdoba: “Eighty-five thousand pesos for the audience, $50,000 for gasoline, $30,000 for a hotel plus Saturday dinner and Sunday lunch,” Jony summarizes. The four are Boca fans, but they will take the route of River supporters: along national route 9, the most direct from CABA. “On the way back, maybe one more boy would join, but for now there are four of us,” he says. THE NATION. Boys don’t like to travel at night, but on Mondays they work early and their pockets also suffer. “We come and go on 9, but without Boca clothes. We don’t want to get into trouble ourselves or the car,” they say.
Plane? Only for a few. Since Tuesday night, when Boca sealed its classification to the quarterfinals, the search for flights to Córdoba increased by 70% and the value of the tickets increased in proportion. Until Monday, a flight to Docta could cost between $50,000 and $80,000, depending on the company and the service. Since Tuesday, tickets from Buenos Aires to Córdoba departing on Saturday and returning on Monday are around half a million pesos. “These are the laws of the market,” the companies explain.
For trips of three or more people, the private vehicle ends up being, despite the price of gasoline, the most chosen option. From Buenos Aires you must travel about 700 kilometers to reach the capital of Cordoba, which implies a consumption of 95 liters of fuel to travel the 1,400 km required to go and return. Turning to numbers, about $79,515 in the case of super gasoline and $98,125 for premium gasoline.
“On fuel we spent $83,000 one way and we are going to spend another $83,000. We have another $4,000 from tolls. Between my baby and I we estimate spending about $60,000 between dinner on Saturday and lunch on Sunday. And to that we must add the hotel, which cost us $70,000 for the two of us, and the two stalls, $85,000 each. In total, about $500,000 for the entire trip,” summarizes Federico, from the route, accompanied by his son, Máximo. “If Boca wins,” he says, “we won’t even remember how much we paid.” Then there will be time to sit down and do the math…
