On the sidelines of the presentation of the partnership with Sorgesana, Napoli’s new back sponsor of the shirt, the president of Napoli Aurelio De Laurentiis he also updated the situation regarding the club’s development in terms of infrastructure, becoming emotional while reading the speech: “It has always been said that Napoli is a club of passage for footballers. False! Today we are not only a club that launches champions, but also a point of arrival. Established champions want to come, one of the best coaches in the world strongly wanted Napoli. In a phase where football spends less, Napoli invests over 150 million euros in the summer market. I read that ADL has gone crazy, he takes out all this money, but the other year after the Scudetto we made the wrong purchases but we didn’t spend little… and in the other years we didn’t spend little either. 150 million and more are the basis of a total change. If I say let’s start from scratch it means rebuilding and therefore investing. This was possible thanks to a model of sustainability and planning carried forward since 2004, in this sense we are the only bulwark to a football system that has become finance, the object of funds, sold to interests other than the original ones. A football that does not respect the rules and distorts the competition, we instead have shown that another football is possible, winning the Scudetto while remaining faithful to our values. We are the other side of the coin and we want to stay that way. In these 20 years we have also worked to create development on the Neapolitan renaissance, today Naples is global, the club has shown from the beginning that here you can work successfully. For years we have emphasized the beauty of the city and the glamorous side, from the side of self-production of the shirts, we are not only a sports club but also a fashion brand that attracts international brands. The third pillar is the image rights, 100% owned for 20 years, after an initial phase where we brought the club to the top in Italy and Europe, now the second phase begins by shifting the focus also on investments to definitively consecrate the company.
Napoli football will be consecrated in its independence, we are proceeding with a corporate reorganization as European clubs, the sports and corporate sector and specific skills, for a successful interaction. The second element is in the infrastructure: the new sports center, a single home for the first team and youth teams, working as we were not able to do on the territory in the first phase. Interest expressed to the Municipality in an area already identified and which needs reclamation that we will do at our expense. An investment also in the youth sector. The second element is the purchase and redevelopment of the Maradona: there is an internal working group at the club for the study of redevelopment of the surrounding areas. To the Neapolitans the legacy of a functional stadium, but also a unique daily experience with commercial, interactive, restaurant and museum areas. Waiting for the green light from the Municipality to sell the stadium, but we are optimistic: the Municipality will free itself of a cost and will give the city a modern work for the European Championships. If it is not possible, we will operate elsewhere, without arguing, but I am trying to ensure a new stadium also in new areas because the date of the European Championships is approaching and the Maradona must be remodeled or built elsewhere as the fifth stadium for the European Championships. Guarantees must be given in a short time: I also asked myself, should I start the work and have they already committed the stadium for the concerts? Naples is complicated from this point of view. Another element is further internationalization, with a significant fan base and we want to activate it in a short time, we are about to launch projects for our global fan base.
A future full of challenges and opportunities, we will have the centenary showcase and we are ready to amaze you with special effects worthy of the best films. I have been president for 20 years, but the show has just begun. I can promise you that as long as I manage Napoli, it will never back down in the face of predatory behavior and private interests. Also to protect the players and our fans… (applause for the president’s emotion, ed.). The greatest pride was winning while respecting the rules and people, we will always continue to compete with these principles. I said that I intended to relaunch the city also thanks to football and today it has global attention also with our support. From here, a free, sustainable and innovative football starts”.