LECCE – “When a bright scoreboard overrides passion, football loses its true champion: the fan. In the pre-match quiet, a message vibrates urgently in the hands of the faithful of the East Stand. US Lecce, with a cold WhatsApp notice, uprooted around 16 footballing souls by moving them from the seats that had witnessed decades of chants, hopes and tears. A luminous scoreboard, symbol of a commercial era, has taken the place of those hearts that beat in unison for the yellow and red shirt.” The lawyer Antonio Sansonetti, a historic season-ticket fan of the east stand, wrote this in a letter.
“The modernization of the stadium, a concept as noble as it is necessary, has thus been transformed into a Trojan horse, bringing with it not heroes, but the silence of memories.
US Lecce could have waited until the end of the current championship and respected what was guaranteed to the fans with the subscription. It could have involved the interested fans in choosing a shared solution. Instead, forceful action was preferred, a fait accompli, even denying season ticket holders the right to pre-emption for the next season, citing questionable contractual reasons (art. 7 of the season ticket contract) which refer to the modernization and consequent maintenance when assembling the illuminated display board.
Where have dialogue and mutual respect gone?
However, the concept of “modernization” is quite different, such as the installation of a movable roof to protect spectators from bad weather and improve acoustics during events; the retractable pitch which allows the pitch to “disappear” underground making the stadium suitable for hosting different types of events; increasing capacity through the addition of new seats or the renovation of existing stands; improving accessibility to ensure that all spectators, including those with disabilities, can access and enjoy events without obstacles; the installation of advanced technologies such as Wi-Fi connectivity systems and apps to improve the spectator experience; additional services such as restaurants, shops and other facilities to increase comfort and service offering.
US Lecce – continues Sansonetti – in this sad affair has lost sight of the true meaning of “home” for its most passionate fans, whether the game is played in Serie A or Serie C makes little difference.
For them, Via del Mare is not just a set of structures, but the stage of a shared life, where each seat tells a long story of joys and disappointments.
In a world where moral decline seems to be the norm, where material greed has suffocated respect and gratitude, US Lecce has the opportunity to be different, to play the most important game: the one for the souls of his fans.
Because in the end, football without passion is just a game, but with it, it is life itself.”
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