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Screenshot from the video where Sao Paulos Corinthians club created a Corinthians Peoples Republic with 190,000 citizens fans, its own currency, embassy and identity papers. AFP pic

In this huge, soccer-mad country, which won five World Cup trophies and will host the 2014 edition, more than 83 million people have access to the Internet and some teams have up to 25 million fans.

First division clubs therefore, in addition to having an Internet site, also have a Facebook page, a Twitter account, online television or even a smartphone application.

The connection with the fan has changed. With the new technologies, clubs are in daily contact with their fans, not just when they go to the stadium, explained Guilherme Costa, of the Maquina de Esporte website, which specialises in sport marketing.

Sao Paulos Corinthians club went so far as to create a Corinthians Peoples Republic with 190,000 citizens fans, its own currency, embassy and identity papers.

This online concept, created in 2010, was elected idea of the year by Worldwide Creative Board, a contest among advertisers.

The goal is not to have the largest number of fans on Facebook, but to transform them into consumers, said Marcus Duarte, head of marketing at Rios Flamengo club. Three of the 13 members of his staff are assigned exclusively to giving the team visibility on the Web.

The Corinthians online store sells as many products as 15 physical stores and reach consumers wherever they may be in Brazil, said Eduardo Generoso, head of sports projects at ESM, an online marketing agency for several first division clubs.

With fans online memberships, sales of sports paraphernalia, sales of advertising space on their sites and Web-TV, clubs can earn on average one million reais (RM1.5 million) per month, he added.

The Internet can also be used to conduct permanent marketing surveys. According to the Ibope institute, 86 per cent of Brazilians who have access to the web use social networks, a percentage much higher than in other countries.

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Internet — strong marketing tool for Brazilian football clubs