Athletic Bilbao players go silent to press in protest against Uriarte's board

The Athletic Club squad has decided to go silent in front of the media as a sign of protest against the board led by Jon Uriarte. After the match against Barcelona, the players refused to speak to journalists, a move that exposes the dressing room's frustration with several decisions taken by the club in recent months. The internal conflict is now public and will have economic consequences for the distribution of income among teams.

• The players refused to give statements after Barcelona-Athletic as a signal of anger with the board.
• The protest goes beyond the withdrawal of player invitations and questions day-to-day decisions at the club.
• Media attention counts toward the financial bonus shared among clubs at the end of the season.
• The meeting between the board and the squad gains importance now that the division is public.
• The club maintains VIP experiences at San Mames priced up to 700 euros per match in which players take part.

Why the Athletic dressing room decided to stay silent to the press

The decision not to speak with journalists after the Barcelona match was not casual. The players have been unhappy for some time with the way the board operates, especially because they feel they are the main characters in many of the actions promoted by the club. The frustration had been building without public complaint until the squad finally took a step forward.

Reducing the protest only to the withdrawal of player invitations, effective from the first weekend of September, would fall short. The players believe that limiting the conflict to that issue would leave them exposed to members and fans, and would give the board arguments to present its position as legitimate. That is why the protest includes other aspects of the club's daily operations.

Uriarte's economic model that has sparked the players' anger

Since taking over as president, Jon Uriarte has defended a model based on financial balance and maximum sporting ambition. Athletic was one of the first clubs to allow cameras into the dressing room before matches, a decision that produced viral images such as the squad's traditional Lord's Prayer. That openness earns points for the bonus distribution, but it bothers the players involved.

The club model we are looking for does not suit everyone, but it is ours: financial balance and maximum sporting ambition.

The president has insisted that Athletic outside European competitions is not a sustainable club in the long term. He announced that the accounts for the 26-27 season, when the team will go from playing the Champions League to no continental tournament at all, will show losses. That is why the board is looking to increase revenue through different initiatives.

VIP experiences at San Mames: players as a commercial attraction

In that push to boost income, Athletic has launched several VIP experiences at San Mames with prices reaching 700 euros per match. The players are once again central to these initiatives: those who buy certain types of tickets can watch the warm-up from the pitch or take part in a meet and greet with first-team players after the game.

The search for resources has also reached Lezama and the youth academy. The club has introduced new measures regarding meal allowances, the use of club dining rooms and staff restructuring. Meanwhile, Athletic continues with the project to expand its training center and is studying the feasibility and cost of adding around 2,400 seats at San Mames.

What the squad risks with its silence after Barcelona-Athletic

Media attention is included in one of the sections of the 25% of payments to teams. By refusing to give statements, the squad's stance will count negatively toward the financial bonus to be distributed at the end of the season. It is a cost the players are consciously willing to accept to make their discontent visible.

It is unknown whether the silence plan will continue this Sunday after the match against Celta or whether there will be a window of peace. For now, personal interviews agreed some time ago for the last two weeks remain postponed. The meeting between the board and the players now carries greater weight, as the internal division is public and the tension cannot be hidden.

The board-player meeting as the key to easing the crisis

The upcoming meeting between the board and the squad captains looks set to be a decisive appointment. Both sides need to find common ground to prevent the conflict from worsening and eventually affecting sporting performance. Athletic faces a demanding season in which internal stability can make the difference.

The board argues that its decisions respond to the need to guarantee the club's sustainability in the medium term. The dressing room, for its part, believes certain lines are being crossed that affect its daily routine and image. The outcome of this standoff will determine the atmosphere in which the team faces the coming months of competition.