Gerry Cardinale’s project with RedBird Capital and AC Milan is a long-term one, and there are some crucial off-field aspects to it.
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As La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) report, Cardinale’s plan for Milan is moving forward on two tracks. They are not two separate roads, because the development is parallel and the (single) goal is to lead the Rossoneri to the top.
So while the numbers everyone is seeing are the 16-point increase compared to the same pint last season, there are other important figures for the club, which has reinvested over €250m in the transfer market in recent years.
The three aims
The stadium project is clearly front and centre and represents a strategic priority because it will allow new revenues to further strengthen their economic and sporting competitiveness. The leadership and strategic vision of Cardinale and RedBird have accelerated the process, and now Milan and Inter hope there will be no further setbacks or delays.
The new stadium won’t generate revenue before 2031-32, but in the meantime, management is working to grow it in other ways, increasing it from €297.7m in 2021-22 to approximately €495m in 2024-25 (+66%). This is a significant achievement, combined with three consecutive profitable financial statements, after 17 years of losses.
The brand’s strength is certified by independent analyses such as Deloitte’s, which ranked Milan as the leading European club in terms of commercial and matchday growth in the last season analysed. This is a source of satisfaction for Cardinale, who considers the Rossoneri central to the RedBird ecosystem.
Milan have a global platform with over 500 million fans and more than 200 million followers on social media. These numbers would increase further if the Cardinale were to become the owner of an NBA Europe franchise, launching in 2027.
The project, clearly tied to Milano and AC Milan, is not simple because the initial investment is significant (which could be anywhere from €500m to €1bn), but there is real interest and its feasibility is being studied.
