At the same time, Como and its owners are taking a long-term approach; they do not act like traditional investors, whose primary aim is to make as much money as possible for themselves by investing in a club. Rather, their goal is to benefit the club, the city, its residents and the local area as a whole. Whilst other traditional investor-owned clubs, such as RB Leipzig in Germany, ‘exploit’ football purely as a means of marketing their own products, Como pursues a more sustainable marketing strategy.
This goes so far that, for example, every newborn in Como’s city hospitals receives a baby bodysuit from the club. Furthermore, the club collaborates with 14 local bars. Should the club win one of its competitive matches, a round of drinks is treated to the guests present. The aim is clear: to win over the local population and ensure that the Como project is perceived as an asset to the area rather than a disruptive factor.
This also includes the expansion of the attractive home ground. The Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, built in 1927, which is beautifully situated directly on Lake Como and offers a phenomenal view of the water alongside the action on the pitch, is currently still owned by the city of Como, but is set to be acquired and converted into club property sooner or later. Even after promotion in the summer of 2024, necessary renovation work had to be carried out on the almost 100-year-old arena; further developments are planned for the future, such as increasing the total capacity, which currently stands at just around 13,600 spectators.
Disneyland is being taken as a model for further refurbishment work. According to the owners’ vision, the city, the region and the club are to be marketed as a single entity. The aim is a lakeside park with a modern stadium and entertainment facilities, even outside match days. “What the theme park is to Disney, the football club and the match-day experience are to us. We are fortunate to be in a place where the city itself is a brand: Lake Como is a global brand. It would be foolish not to seize this opportunity – to integrate football into the ecosystem, not as the centrepiece, but as a key element,” club president and Sent CEO Mirwan Suwarso told the Italian portal Calcio e Finanza.
Following Disney’s model, Como 1907 is therefore not intended to be merely a nouveau riche football club, but a comprehensive and financially sustainable entertainment project – with the Lake Como tourism region as the overarching master brand. The aim is to combine football, marketing, merchandising and the region, attract celebrities and establish the club as a global brand with an experiential character.
This is exciting because the contrasts could not be greater. On the one hand, there is the ‘traditional character’ of an idyllic small town with a perfect lakeside location; on the other, the owners’ grand, global ambitions.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.goal.com ’
