Compared to other top European soccer leagues, Italy’s teams are suffering due to aging stadiums and decaying infrastructure. In a report from accounting firm KPMG last year, it labeled Italy’s stadia, which are mostly publicly-owned, as “obsolete,” “oversized” and worst of all “rarely filled” and are on average more than 60 years old. Changes are afoot however, with technology playing a key role.
In announcing its plans to develop a new stadium, Serie A team ACF Fiorentina revealed that virtual reality technology had been used to “verify the visibility from every seat, already at the planning stage.” In partnership with engineering and construction company Arup, these virtual reality simulations were used to allow a real-time assessment of the fans’ experience in the stadium, before a brick is even laid. The club says that thanks to the technology, it will mean the closest seats in the arena are 22 feet away from the pitch.
The bowl-shaped stadium, whose design is inspired by local history, will also include all the latest technological advances in fan experiences, including stadium-wide WiFi and ticketless entry.
“We have collaborated with Fiorentina for the last two years to define a detailed brief, specifically built on their desires and expectations,” Arup project leader Luca Buzzoni said in a statement. “We have therefore designed a stadium that reflects the local history and landscape in a modern way and provides a great and comfortable new home for the team and its fans.”
The new arena will seat 40,000 people and construction for the $447 million project will begin in 2019 and will take two years, with the stadium expected to be opened by 2021 at the latest. The current stadium, the Stadio Artemio Franchi seats just over 43,000 fans, yet was opening in 1931, meaning by the time the new arena is opened, it will be 90 years old, highlighting the need for such a new stadium.
Overall, in Italy’s top league, Serie A, currently just three teams own their own stadiums, champions Juventus, Udinese and Sassuolo, all of which recently moved into new stadia. However, despite such new stadiums, how far Serie A is behind in terms of matchday revenue, earned from home matches in a season is quite pronounced when compared to the Premier League. According to the Deloitte Football Money League report this year, Manchester United earned $127 million over a season in matchday revenue, compared to just $50 million generated by Juventus over the same season.
While the financial outlays for new stadiums are considerable, the governing body of European soccer, UEFA, allows clubs to spend as much money as they wish on “infrastructure development.” This exemption, importantly, comes under the umbrella of the body’s strict Financial Fair Play (FFP) rule, which restricts teams from overspending and stop what previous UEFA president Michael Platini called “financial doping” within football.
How far Serie A is behind in terms of matchday revenue earned from home matches in a season is quite pronounced when compared to the Premier League. According to the Deloitte Football Money League report this year, Manchester United earned $127 million over a season in matchday revenue, compared to just $50 million generated by Juventus over the same season.
Fiorentina owner Andrea Della Valle said: “It’s a historic moment. We’re presenting an important project for Florence and for all of Italy. It will be a sort of Purple Renaissance. Between the stadium and the surrounding area, it’s a project of hundreds and hundreds of millions. We really wanted to do something for this city, which deserves it.”
Fiorentina’s plan is another indication that many Italian teams know they are behind the curve when compared to their European rivals when it comes to stadiums and matchday experiences. Other teams in Serie A are also seeking to move, including A.S. Roma who will open a privately-owned arena seating 52,000 spectators, while Cagliari also will move into a new stadium as well.
Della Valle admitted as much, saying to the Associated Press: “Many clubs are trying and that’s a good thing. We’re one of them and we’re moving forward quickly. People are talking about Roma’s new stadium. We’re even further ahead and this is a great opportunity for change for Italian football, which is very behind in this aspect.”
