March 5 – Relevent Sports has been the squeaky wheel in world football for a number of years as they push to host a regular-season match from one of Europe’s top leagues in the USA. To date they have been met with pushback, however, that could soon change as Italy’s Serie A has said they want to hold a regular-season game in the next year or two.
Michele Ciccarese, commercial and marketing director for Serie A, confirmed a comment made by Relevent Executive chairman, Charlie Stillitano, that it wants to be the first foreign league to take their product to America for a game that matters.
“Yes, we would love to do it as the president said; we are working in order to potentially do it, but there are barriers that we need to overcome,” Ciccarese told reporters, citing scheduling concerns such as the clubs’ involvement in midweek European competitions and the potential strain on players.
“Who knows, maybe in a window of one to two years potentially we will see the league playing [in the US] if the approvals come.”
Previously the major hurdle was FIFA’s rule barring domestic leagues from playing regular-season matches outside their home territories – a rule that was backed by regional and national governing bodies.
Relevent filed an anti-trust case in the US courts, but dropped the suit after FIFA agreed to suspend and review the rule. There are many critics and fans that are not happy though, as they feel that the sporting integrity of the league will be put in jeopardy.
“It’s always a race to try to be the trendsetter because then the followers come and the trendsetter is who benefits,” Ciccarese said. That trendsetter was always expected to be LaLiga who have long championed a regular season game in the US and had even tentatively scheduled Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid for last December (in conjunction with Relevent) in Miami.
“It should be done in a way that makes sense for the club without forgetting the fans … you cannot play a Milano derby in America because the fans in Italy will get very upset. That game has a big meaning in Italy. So we have to play in a way that is respectful of our audience.”
Ciccarese, also recognises the strength of the English Premier League that has dominated the US since the early 2000’s saying: “[The Premier League] started really promoting it and creating the product abroad, so we came a little bit late,” Ciccarese said. “We took a good slip, let’s say like that. But now we want to go fast.”
With Serie A establishing a headquarters in New York, the league is intent on breaking new ground to bring Calcio back to where it was in the 80s and 90s when it was considered to be the best league in the world.
Contact the writer of this story, Nick Webster, at moc.l1741218491labto1741218491ofdlr1741218491owedi1741218491sni@o1741218491fni1741218491