AC Milan president Paolo Scaroni has addressed the Senate Commission regarding the steps that Serie A must take in order to move forward as a league.
Scaroni has often gone public with his thoughts about how Italian football must modernise itself when it comes to crucial issues such as the construction of new stadiums, the management of TV rights and the way the league is represented on the European stage.
One issue that he has fought for is the Growth Decree, which was abolished by the government a few months ago. It means that players arriving from abroad are no longer entitled to tax benefits, putting Serie A at a competitive disadvantage, something we have analysed in depth.
As Calcio e Finanza write, Scaroni spoke to the Senate Commission at the ‘Prospects for the reform of Italian football’ panel and he put forward a number of ideas that he believes will help calcio moving forward.
“We need to solve the betting problem. It makes no sense for the world to bet on football and we have no benefit. It was the Italian parliament in the past that prevented us from participating in these revenues and this parliament can change this senseless policy,” Scaroni began in his speech.
|Something has been done about piracy, and for this I thank you. But more can be done. We need to ban it from our television rights Tax benefits for inpatriates have been eliminated [the Growth Decree], this has caused us colossal damage.
“Incomprehensible rule, given that the only benefit that Italian football had was the possibility of attracting world talent, and it was eliminated. I hope it will be restored.
“Legislative measures on stadiums can help, even if I’m a bit skeptical given that we live in a country where minorities, even tiny but noisy ones, are capable of blocking everything. However, there remain constraints for not doing.
“The fact that in the FIGC, Serie A, which pays the bill for everything and everyone, counts for very little, is first of all wrong and then leads to friction between us and the federation.
“To change all this we need parliamentary initiatives otherwise nothing will change. Serie A is under represented, while all those who are the beneficiaries of our money are more represented.
“Furthermore, it is impossible for the Lega to represent the six to eight biggest clubs abroad, and not only. Thinking that we can reform ourselves within the Lega is completely illusory with the governance we have.”
It needs a complete image overhaul, from stadiums to the broadcasting. We feel like we’re stuck in the 2000’s, if we want to get the bid for the Euro’s we need to upgrade or build new stadiums because the infrastructure is crumbling. Get politics out of the game and focus on making our football what it was again. The spectacle of the 90’s, the top tier. But politicians will be politicians, and will cover everything in red tape if it fills their pockets.
“politicians will be politicians…”
and MBA-s will be MBA-s and try to do anything and everything to get more profit short term and then jump ship.
I’d trust Scaroni if he had Milan’s best interest, but all that he cares is how to make Milan look more profitable in the next 5 years to sell for a higher price.
The way that the growth decree was implemented had issues and if it wasn’t for the lists, we’d have 25 foreign players in the italian team. I get it if it was Inter or Udinese, but come on, the growth decree was pushing all top teams to go that route.
For those interested you can find more information on Internet; Meloni’s government unveiled a new reform introducing a governmental agency which will be in charge of controlling pro clubs’ budgets.
On the one hand, being pro betting after one of our players/former was caught betting is not a good look.
That being said, Italy really needs to “sell” and package their product way better than they are doing right now. With the Prem they’ll make the most mundane game feel like it’s the biggest thing in the world and the commentators help deliver this sort of spectacle to the audience. IMO it starts from there, at least with the international audience. Tired of seeing the capital derby for instance not getting the promotion it really deserves.
Then ofc the decrepit stadia which will help with the atmosphere and look/branding.
Just get some consultants from the Premier League and make them tailor the presentation of games similarly to England. The Premier League made a unanimous decision back in the early 2000s that, even if their football was subpar, they would still deliver the best product. Italy needs this. Makes content that can appeal to international audiences. The grass literally looks greener in the Premier League lol. Small details like that would go a long way for Serie A