Economist and prominent Inter supporter Carlo Cottarelli has spoken about the fan ownership and its feasibility for Italian clubs.
Cottarelli gave his thoughts in an interview with Italian program “Soul”, excerpted as a preview, which will be broadcast on TV2000 at 20:50 CET and on InBlu2000 at 21:00 CET this weekend.
Cottarelli has promoted the fan share ownership model through his InterSpac project, and this interview represents another attempt by the Italian to explain and popularize his ideas.
He contrasted the model that he proposes with that employed at many Italian clubs of which Inter is a prominent example.
The economist went on to link the kinds of financial problems experienced by Inter and by other football clubs to the economic model at the Nerazzurri, and argued that popular fan ownership could ameliorate many financial problems at club and make them more stable.
Cottarelli’s ideas are likely to appeal to skeptics of the ownership model employed by Inter and in search of a viable alternative.
Cottarelli explained that popular share ownership is “a model which is generally possible for Italian clubs, which are increasingly in the hands of foreign owners.”
He continued: “Some investors put their money temporarily in a club, then as soon as there is any uncertainty they leave, or maybe lend money to the club at very high rates.”
“This is a problem,” he continues, “because football clubs like every organization need stable capital which does not go away and costs very little.”
“And then there is another issue, which is that loving a football club is a sentimental matter, there is a romantic factor. Fans are the best supporters and the best owners of a club.”
