Lega Calcio Serie A at Leaders Week London
Innovation, technology, new stadiums and the promotion of Italy’s unique cultural and regional heritage were at the heart of “Golazzo: How Serie A’s Glittering Past Is Helping Shape Its Innovative Future”, the panel dedicated to Serie A at Leaders Week London, held at Stamford Bridge.
The discussion featured Michele Ciccarese, Commercial and Marketing Director at Lega Serie A; Christian Vieri, Italian football legend and Lega Calcio Serie A Ambassador; and Alex Rasmussen, Chief Revenue Officer at Como 1907. The panel was moderated by David Cushnan, Content Director at Leaders.
The conversation focused on the vision of an increasingly modern, international and fan-centric Serie A, capable of embracing innovation while building on its rich history and the unique connection between its clubs and Italy’s cities.
According to Michele Ciccarese, this strong connection to local identity represents one of the league’s most distinctive competitive advantages. Every club tells the story of a city, a culture and a way of life, creating opportunities to transform matchday into an experience that brings together football, tourism, gastronomy, art and fashion.
“Every Serie A club has a different story to tell, with its own food, art, fashion and atmosphere. This is where we can truly differentiate ourselves,” Ciccarese emphasised.
Alongside the promotion of Italy’s unique identity, technology and content personalisation are key strategic drivers for engaging new generations of fans. From RefCam, offering viewers the referee’s perspective, to personalised content linked to Fantacalcio, the ambition is to create experiences increasingly tailored to individual fans’ interests.
“The key is understanding what fans want to see and delivering exactly that content. Personalising the fan experience is essential to building deeper and stronger engagement.”
This transformation is being driven by Lega Serie A in collaboration with its 20 clubs, sharing innovations, technologies and commercial opportunities to strengthen the league’s competitiveness on the international stage.
Christian Vieri, the legendary former Italian striker, highlighted the evolution of Italian football towards a more attacking and entertaining style of play.
“Catenaccio is over. There is no more catenaccio in Italy. We are the league that has not recorded a single goalless draw in the opening five matchdays, while the percentage of effective playing time is increasing. That is an important signal.”
For Vieri, however, stadium modernisation remains essential if Serie A is to return to the very top of world football. Modern facilities mean better experiences for fans, greater hospitality revenues and additional resources for clubs to reinvest in their development.
“Once we have new stadiums, clubs will be able to generate more revenue and invest more. In five to seven years, we will be highly competitive again.”
Vieri also highlighted the role of social media in transforming the relationship between players and supporters, making football stars more accessible and allowing fans to connect with them beyond the pitch.
This theme was further explored by Alex Rasmussen, who brought insights from his experience in Formula 1 and Ferrari. According to the Como 1907 executive, football has significant opportunities to involve players and coaches more effectively in communications, commercial partnerships and sponsor experiences, while preserving what sets the sport apart from others: the profound sense of belonging shared by its supporters.
“Scarcity is not loyalty,” Rasmussen noted, stressing that exclusivity and premium pricing do not necessarily translate into long-term loyalty. The emotional connection between fans and their clubs, by contrast, can endure across generations.
Como 1907 provides a tangible example of how football can be integrated with its surrounding territory. Leveraging the international appeal of Lake Como, the club is developing partnerships with hotels, villas, restaurants and tourism operators to make attending a football match part of the wider travel experience, generating value for the entire local community.
“In the past, people came to Lake Como for five-star hotels and boat tours. Today, attending a football match can also become part of their journey. We want the entire region to benefit from this growth, not just Como 1907.”
The discussion in London highlighted a clear vision: the future of Serie A lies in combining technological innovation, modern infrastructure, greater engagement with the game’s leading figures and the promotion of Italy’s distinctive identity.
It is a growth model designed to strengthen the league’s international appeal, transforming the richness of its history, culture and local communities into a lasting competitive advantage for the future.