In the meantime, Como and its owners take a long-term approach; they do not act like traditional investors, whose primary goal is to maximize profit from their investment in a club. Their aim is rather to advance the club, the city, its residents, and the region as a whole. While other clubs owned by traditional investors, like RB Leipzig in Germany, “exploit” football as a simple way to market their own products, Como embraces a more sustainable marketing strategy.
This extends to offering, for example, a onesie to newborns in municipal hospitals in Como. Additionally, the club partners with 14 local bars. If the club wins one of its official matches, a round of drinks is offered to the patrons. The goal is clear: to rally the local population to its cause and ensure that the Como project is seen as an asset to the region rather than a disruptive factor.
This also involves the expansion of the magnificent stadium. Built in 1927, the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, beautifully situated on the shores of Lake Como with a phenomenal view of the lake in addition to the on-field action, currently still belongs to the city of Como but should eventually be purchased and become the club’s property. Starting from the promotion to the higher division in the 2024 season, essential renovation work needs to be undertaken in this nearly 100-year-old arena; further developments are planned for the future, such as increasing the total capacity, which is currently only about 13,600 seats.
Disneyland will serve as a model for future renovation work. According to the owners’ vision, the city, the region, and the club must be marketed as a single unified entity. The goal is to create a lakeside park with a modern stadium and entertainment options, even on non-match days. “What the theme park represents for Disney is what the football club and the matchday experience represent for us. We are fortunate to be in a place where the city itself is a brand: Lake Como is a global brand. It would be foolish not to seize this opportunity—to integrate football into the ecosystem, not as a centerpiece, but as a key element,” said the club president and Sent CEO, Mirwan Suwarso, to the Italian portal Calcio e Finanza.
Following the Disney model, Como 1907 should not simply be a nouveau riche football club, but a comprehensive and financially sustainable entertainment project—with the tourist region of Lake Como as the flagship brand. The aim is to connect football, marketing, merchandising, and the region, attract celebrities, and establish the club as a global brand focused on the experience.
This is exciting, as the contrasts could not be greater. On one side, the “traditional character” of an idyllic small town with an ideal lakeside location; on the other, the global ambitions of the owners.
