Speaking of European Super League and finances hit by the coronavirus, the Italian says football needs to find a way to change
Juventus President Andrea Agnelli says he has had “fruitful arguments and fights” with UEFA boss Aleksander Ceferin over the future of football as he believes fans care about the game in a different way than yesterday.
Agnelli believe that high-level football is at a “crossroads” amid talk of the UEFA Super League and the coronavirus outbreak that has affected finances throughout the sport.
And Agnelli says he thinks there aren’t too many competitive games, turning fans away from the game and into other forms of entertainment.
What was said
“We need to put the fans at the center. The current system is not delivering for today’s fans, ”Agnelli said at the ECA General Assembly
“Studies show that many traditional fan perceptions need to change. If we look at the research, we can say that a third of fans worldwide follow at least two puppies, which is very different from a few years ago.
“Also, 10 per cent of fans follow players and not clubs, 2/3 follow more football for today’s fear of losing out or just on because they enjoy big events, 40 percent of the 16 to 24-year-old fans, the famous Gen Z, have no interest in football at all.
“There are too many games that are not competitive, both domestically and internationally.
“Fans cannot be accepted as a donation and we need to deliver them in the best possible competition or we risk losing them.
“That’s why I welcome the conversation we have had, as ECA, over the last few months with UEFA about the development of the game.
“Although he is not present here, I would like to thank President Ceferin for the arguments and almost all the fights we had from October to December.
“But they have been fruitful arguments and fights.”
Finance in football
With fans unable to attend games for nearly one full year, clubs around the world have reported huge financial losses.
However, it has been reported that a number of the world’s top clubs are interested in creating a highly profitable European Super League that would change the face of football forever.
“I look at the management projects, or some of the projects that have been developed in some countries, or JP Morgan’s support for the leaks we have had over the European Super League,” Agnelli said.
“That has been in the media and it is a common experience for everyone. If there is interest from such players and large financial institutions, it means that there is potential for a bright future within our industry.
“These people, as opposed to some of our most common stakeholders, have little interest in loyalty, but their interest is due to investments.
“It means our business is a very attractive one to return on investments and that means if we change ourselves, we can look forward to that return in investing ourselves.
“Football, finance and governance are at a crossroads and this has become more and more apparent with the pandemic.
“We have a duty to prevent and take action or else there is a danger in imploding.”