Inter’s Corporate CEO Alessandro Antonello feels that the scope of the new stadium plans that the club have with AC Milan is much more ambitious than building a new stadium.
Speaking at the MilanoParigiCapitali 2022 event, as reported by FCInter1908, the Nerazzurri executive explained that the two clubs have more wide reaching plans as part of construction of a prospective new stadium, and that they want to reduce the financial gap with the Premier League.
The Nerazzurri and the Rossoneri have seen some important recent developments in their plans to build a new stadium to replace the San Siro, with the city council officially approving their revised plans and the public debate set to begin in the coming days.
For Antonello, the aim is not simply to build a new football stadium, but an entire complex which can ensure greater revenues for the clubs moving forward.
The Corporate CEO provided some background, noting that “In Italy we need to invest in infrastructure to improve the football system. There are ongoing projects that, if completed, can bring in €1.9 billion.”
“Unfortunately, the average age of the Italian stadiums is between sixty and seventy years old, so it’s essential to renovate the infrastructures first,” he added.
Speaking about the Milan clubs’ plans, Antonello said that “Inter and Milan presented a plan three years ago, today we resubmitted the feasibility dossier to the city council of Milan with a reduction in concrete volumes to follow up on the demands that the administration had given us at the time.”
He explained that “It’s not just a stadium project, but also a multipurpose attraction centre from which the city of Milan will benefit. It will be a highly eco-sustainable project, with the most advanced technologies that have been made available to us.”
“In the absence of infrastructures and new stadiums, it is difficult for Inter, Milan, and Italian football to return to competing at the highest level,” Antonello warned.
“The stadium can guarantee additional revenues thanks to additional services,” he continued, “which would lead the club to invest more in the squad.”
He updated that “There will be a public debate, after which the city council will express its opinion, and we we hope to proceed with the drafting of the executive project, before beginning construction.”
Antonello also spoke about the question of broadcasting rights in Italian football, noting that “In the Lega there’s a working committee which has begun to tackle the issue in a strategic way.”
“The Premier League must be a reference model for us,” he continued, “but the paradigm for us should be La Liga in Spain,” he added, “which in recent years has grown exponentially.”
The executive noted of the Spanish top flight that “They have very strong governance and a good television product with Real and Barcelona leading the way.”
“The Lega Serie A must develop more of an international market,” Antonello emphasized, “today we have a huge gap with the Premier League in that respect.”
He argued that “International development and technological development are also needed – the Serie A product must evolve in response to the needs and desires of our fans.”
“It’s useless to try to develop business models that don’t keep the fans at the centre,” he continued, “because they’re the ones who support the industry.”
He noted that “The Lega is laying the foundations to fill this gap – a hub has already been opened in the United States, another will be opened in the Middle East, and the desire is to better cover the Asian market with a territorial presence.”
“Today we’re thinking, if the next call is not successful, to turn to the creation and distribution of a new television channel for Serie A,” Antonello continued. “This is essential, because Serie A is still recognized as an attractive brand, and foreign investment is proving it.”
“We need to recreate the value of the early 2000’s with an attractive model,” he stressed. “We must make up the gap with the Premier League which means that top players only want to play there.”
