The How is in full struggle for direct promotion in A league. But for the Hartono brothers, the richest owners of an Italian clubthere is not only the sporting side, but also the project and the ambition to make the Como club a solid and reference reality for Italian football.
The operational arm of the Hartonos in Italy explains the intentions of the property, Mirwan Suwarso, head of the marketing, merchandising and ticketing areas. «Our Como project – he declared in today’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport – has like Disney reference: theme parks, films, studios, media and merchandising. All connected in one step. The same thing we have to do in Como».
«I lead the entire sports and entertainment side of the Hartono family in four countries – explains Suwarso –. Como was a small project linked to the city today it’s an industry. We started with 850 thousand euroswe think we’ll get to a worth one billion across sports, media, facilities, merchandising and tourism. We have invested in fashion, they sell suitcases with the Como brand Harrods. People have seen who we are, actions have followed words. I understood the doubts, given the past. Today we feel included in the city, we work for the community, we no longer feel like guests».
In fact, Como is becoming a family affair, as demonstrated by the presence in the stands last Saturday of a significant number of relatives and friends of the Hartonos: «They are very passionate. Ms. Hartono is interested in projects in schools, such as team growth. When we changed coach, we wanted to change our mentality. So these results don’t surprise me: in the summer we had allocated 25 million to go to Serie A. Exemption of Longo? We had won games without merit, risking too much: a path that would not have led far. Better to change now, it would have been late later».
The landing of Fabregas-Roberts couple: «If a coach is famous but not capable, he is useless. Maradona also coached but without results. Fabregas recorded: new mentality, Italian identity. He is the architect, he is also one of the owners and gives the line. The coach, however, is Roberts». A double technical guide, a solution that is not too common in Italy: «There is no hierarchy, everyone works together, with their own tasks, and reports to the property. I have respect for Italian habits, but we have to think differently».
«Italy looks more at the internal market than the global one – explains Suwarso –. Self the Premier League earns five times more it’s not because he has better football, but because it sells its products better in the world: Italian football is stronger, but they don’t notice it outside. Upon our arrival the merchandising brought in 100 thousand euros and today we are at 4 million. We let’s look at Juve which is 180 million and we want to get to 20. And then the sports Center: we have to develop it, we are only 30%. And then there’s the stadium project».
Finally, on the stadium: «The owners will soon approve the project to be presented to the Municipality. It will not be a stadium for Como, open two or three days a month, but for the city, with commercial and healthcare areas. In case of promotion? Atalanta carried out the work in blocks without being affected. The will is to play here. 100 million budget for the first season in Serie A? I hope so, but it’s not true. The property wants to maximize the investment without waste».
Tags: Disney model stadium Serie
