SSC Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis called for sweeping commercial and structural reforms in Italian football during a TEHA Club meeting at the Hotel Parco dei Principi in Rome. Speaking before roughly 40 entrepreneurs at an event hosted by The European House – Ambrosetti, the club president argued that Serie A must adopt the commercial mindset of American sports leagues like the NBA, NFL, and MLB to protect its financial future and engage younger audiences.
Commercial Mindset and Franchise Value in American Sports
The Napoli executive criticized the current structure of Italian football governance, contrasting it unfavorably with North American sports enterprises. Pointing to major U.S. competitions, he emphasized how those leagues operate as massive commercial entities dedicated to product development, distribution, international markets, and global sponsorships.
“Look at what American leagues do,” De Laurentiis stated during his address, titled “Cinema and Football: The End of the Attention Monopoly,” as reported by CalcioNapoli24. “NBA, NFL, MLB: they are huge commercial machines. They work on the product, distribution, sponsors, international markets. They make their champions known. They are at the service of the teams. They create value.”
He added that these efforts directly translate into higher club revenues and franchise valuations. Framing his ambition for domestic competition, he noted: “I want a League that helps me make Napoli worth more.”
De Laurentiis Suggests Eliminating Halftime to Engage Youth
Beyond broad governance changes, De Laurentiis challenged traditional match formatting to combat the shifting attention spans of younger demographics. He argued that soccer must abandon outdated traditions if it hopes to remain relevant in a digital ecosystem dominated by platforms like YouTube and TikTok.
“We must have the courage to discuss the ‘football product’ from every point of view,” De Laurentiis said, pointing specifically to match duration and interruptions. Challenging the sanctity of century-old rules, he questioned the necessity of the traditional 15-minute halftime break.
“You stop the game for a quarter of an hour and think [a young fan] will stay there waiting for you?” he asked. “He takes his cell phone, goes back to the PlayStation, finds something else to do. And then you restart the second half. But in the meantime he has gone. He watches the goals later in the highlights.”
Football Clubs Must Function as Active Media Companies
Addressing the broader evolution of sports entertainment, De Laurentiis asserted that professional football clubs can no longer rely solely on the ninety minutes of regulation play to engage supporters. He maintained that modern teams must function as active media companies capable of telling daily stories.
The relationship with young fans cannot start at kickoff and end at the final whistle, he explained to the gathering of top managers. Given the daily routines of training sessions, international travel, squad movements, and the cultural backdrop of a city like Naples, clubs possess a continuous stream of narrative material that extends far beyond matchday.
De Laurentiis Critiques Italian Sports Administration and Infrastructure
The Rome address adds to a series of outspoken critiques delivered by the Napoli owner regarding Italian sports administration. Recent public comments from the film producer have touched on the differing financial philosophies of Serie A ownership groups, the broadcasting pricing of foreign summer friendlies, and executive leadership within national sporting bodies.
Meanwhile, stadium infrastructure remains a central focus for Italian football administration. While De Laurentiis opened his address by emphasizing that stadiums must function as comprehensive entertainment experiences, Italy is prioritizing the Maradona for Euro 2032.
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