Inter President Steven Zhang believes that the Nerrazzurri must aim to use their revenues to build a strong team by signing top players.
Speaking at an event put on by the Corriere dello Sport, as reported by FCInter1908, the President explained the strategy to build the team and the club for the future, with a focus on digital revenues.
Inter’s financial struggles in recent years are well-known, particularly due to issues related to the pandemic, but on the pitch the level has remained high, and this summer they have once again shown their ambition in the transfer market.
Zhang gave his thoughts on the underlying motivations and the project at the Nerazzurri, both in terms of their ambitions on the pitch and also how they intend to support it financially.
He noted that “As a football club, our core business is to put together a competitive team to make the fans who follow us happy. There must be great players on the pitch.”
“Our goal hasn’t changed for next season,” he continued, “we want to be able to entertain our fans by working hard and delivering the best performance on a sporting level.”
“Then the results in the table will be what they are,” Zhang went on, “but at the beginning of the season the goal is to always aim for the best possible outcome in every competition we participate in.”
He stated that this is “Because we’re Inter, we know our stature as a club and the trophies won throughout our history.”
“This is what we have been trying to do for the past six years, and it’s what we’ll do in the future as well,” he said. “It’s a promise and a commitment that we aim to always keep.”
Regarding the club’s strategy shifting towards digital revenues, the President explained that “I was born in the 90s, as we grew up the world began to change dramatically.”
“Until I was ten we didn’t have much to do with computers and the internet,” he continued, “there were no video games or headsets, life was different.”
“Then all these technologies came into our lives and took over our free time,” Zhang said. “As teenagers we spent our time trying to discover all the industry news that was previously unimaginable.”
“We’ve realized that in this age the internet is everywhere, digital media is everywhere,” he continued. “Every club must use it in order to interact with the new generations.”
“This is the only way to make people interested in our club and to make sure we’re known all over the world,” he argued.
“I hope that the fact that I’ve become the youngest President in Italian footballmeans I can bring new things to my club and to the entire football sector, and we can have a positive impact with the people around us and interact with younger generations,” Zhang reflected.
He noted that “We’ve taken some initiatives by launching Inter Media House, whose goal is to produce more digital content to interact with fans on digital platforms.”
“Last year we unveiled a new logo for the club and changed all the images related to the club branding because we believe that our logo will not only be used in the stadium but throughout the digital world,” he continued.
“It needs to be easy to use in different situations and environments,” Zhang elaborated, “with a flatter shape and vibrant colours so it’s easier to present in merchandising or in digital images.”
“Fans were also able to use TikTok to enjoy content that we hadn’t been able to present before,” he noted. “Every year, we need every little detail to try to learn and change a part of ourselves and the club to make sure we become more digital and innovative.”
“This applies to all clubs,” Zhang argued, “No matter which ones, using digital platforms, media and digital content, and engaging with those around us through technology is one of the ways to ensure that the club can interact with people we haven’t yet reached.”
“As a club we’ve always focused on television rights, stadium revenues, and shirt sales,” the President said, “but now we’re able to present our digital identity not only to people in Milan, but also around the world in different time zones.”
He pointed out that “Maybe someone is asleep during the game, but when they wake up the images or interactions are continuing afterwards.”
“This is the point,” he said. “Reaching consumers in broader contexts and with more skills than we would never have imagined in the past.”
Zhang gave the view that “I’m sure that in twenty years, when we talk about the revenues of a club, ticket sales or television rights will no longer be the main categories. Social media, metaverse, and merchandising will be, all of which are completely digital.”
“This is what’s already happening,” he noted, “10-20% of a club’s revenues come from here, and this will only increase more and more.”