October 2 – There has been another twist in Corinthians’ complicated sponsorship history after a São Paulo court ordered the club to stop displaying adult brand Fatal Fans, just days after its main betting-backed deal was thrown into limbo.
A preliminary order from the Tatuapé Children and Youth Court gives Corinthians 15 days to remove or cover the Fatal Fans brand from game equipment, club facilities and digital channels, as well as links directing fans to the subscription platform.
The action was brought by the São Paulo Prosecutor’s Office, which had been investigating the association since August over concerns about the exposure of children and teenagers to adult material.
The moment is particularly awkward. Fatal Model, Fatal Fans’ sister company, had just emerged as a potential replacement for the club’s shirt sponsor, online betting brand Esportes da Sorte.
The ruling does not end the commercial agreement itself, but prevents Corinthians from offering much of the exposure that Fatal Fans is paying for while the injunction is in effect. The decision is preliminary and can be challenged.
Corinthians said it had not formally received the ruling. Fatal Fans said its lawyers were evaluating the decision and maintained that the platform complies with Brazil’s child protection requirements, including age verification checks.
The sponsorship dates back to June and guarantees Corinthians R$22 million ($4.2 million) until December 2027, which could rise to around R$31 million ($5.9 million) if an extension is triggered.
The club was hardly blind to the risks when it signed: after carrying out legal and reputational assessments, it excluded academy teams from the deal and placed restrictions on player association and sexualised advertising.
The women’s team also don’t wear the standard Fatal Fans logo, but have used the association for their ‘Respect com Mina’ campaign against violence against women.
Nike objected in September to Fatal Fans appearing next to its swoosh on the same side of Corinthians shorts, forcing the sponsor to move above the club crest.
Fatal Fans and the Fatal Model escort advertising platform are brands of Grupo Atlas. Fatal Model last week offered Corinthians R$120 million ($22.9 million) for a one-year main sponsorship after Brazil’s new ban on fixed-odds betting called into question the club’s deal with Esports da Sorte.
This offer remains unsigned and is separate from the Fatal Fans agreement. Nor does the requirement automatically preclude a future Fatal Model agreement, which would require its own legal evaluation.
Corinthians’ current master deal with Esportes da Sorte guarantees R$150 million ($28.7 million) annually until 2029, which can rise to around R$200 million ($88.3 million) with bonuses. President Lula’s Sept. 25 betting move has left that contract in limbo alongside much of Brazil’s R$1.03 billion ($197 million) soccer betting sponsorship market.
With Corinthians having reported debts of around R$2.8 billion ($535 million), the timing couldn’t be worse.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at (email protected)
