Bologna on my mind: Middle Class. (2 Feb)

Written by: Massimo Sampaolesi. Translated by: Carlotta Belluzzi.

According to the economists, the ‘middle class’ portion of society is slowly disappearing – and yet, when looking at the Italian “Serie A” championship, this does not seem to be the case. The term “middle class” refers here to all those teams between Torino (31 points) to Sassuolo (24 points): 9 teams that can be defined as Bologna’s current competitors for a place on the left side of the chart, and that will probably continue to be so in the next seasons.  

It’s the first step to understand how feasible or difficult Joey’s ambitious (yet pragmatic) plan is. What will make the difference, however, are not only investments into specific players. In short, Bologna’s progress cannot and will not be solely based on new purchases, as it’s impossible to predict who and how these players will be. This theme was also discussed by a few business newspapers, at a time when football was only just starting to spread into the stock market: for example, the Financial Times defined the whole situation as «a matter with high risk, because one single goal could mark the difference between advancement and relegation, radically modifying the commercial prospects of a team». They then added that «not all clubs will have the managerial capability to transform victories on the pitch into commercial successes».

This seems like a fairly definitive judgement, and one that has been also backed by the Sole 24 Ore, who, just over a year ago, believed stock exchange listings to be a disastrous investment, as it would be too dependent from the «fickleness of the match results, and the moods of the fans/shareholders» (“fans” which we may as well call “clients”). And while this judgement was bestowed exclusively upon stock exchange listings, it does seem to imply that investing in this sector is perhaps not worth it – a suggestion for Saputo? On the other hand, in the very same article, written by Marco Bellinazzo, there is a sentence that completely changes the scenario and soothes our worries: if the society behind the team (in this case, our beloved Bologna) «is linked to a credible and commercial project, sustained by a secure financial position – not limited to the players – then we are dealing with a whole different situation, where ratings and goals are not so incompatible as they may appear to be at first sight».

This is a key topic, a topic that should become our foremost thought when we discuss the team we love. Saputo told us as soon as he arrived in Italy: “Here, people only look at the sports side of things – we think in other terms”. And “other terms” are indeed what our society is regularly focusing on: financial growth linked to investments into structures and institutions (e.g. the stadium and training grounds), and a careful balance of expenses and takings, all while keeping an eye on the swings of the market. The 100 million Euros poured by Saputo into the team over the last 3 years, can give us an idea of the importance and delicacy of the matter.

Therefore, for now, we are middle class: we unwillingly acknowledge this, clenching our jaws, seen the noble status of our colours. However, many years of hardships had caused us to shrink our ambitions: even during Gazzoni’s management, we witnessed a solid squad, but who could not sustain to face the bigger teams for long. This is because those who are middle class, without any planning and organisation, will most likely not be able to step their game up.

However, after witnessing the end of the Golden Age in the1970s, us Bologna fans are now looking to the future with hope and serenity for the first time in a long time. Saputo told us: “Within 10 years, we’ll stand among the big shots”. Three years have passed, all of which have brought us growth and progress. Perhaps, this already sets us apart from the middle class.

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