The darkest Christmas in Italian sport. The #salviamolosport campaign is underway
The 245 clubs belonging to the Pro League, the Serie A Basket League, the National Basketball League, the men's Volleyball League and the women's Volleyball League will experience the darkest Christmas ever if the Government does not intervene with concrete help. Italian sport, local sport, the Leagues and Clubs that represent the heart of the movement are dramatically on the brink of the abyss, having not benefited from public aid, unlike what happened in Germany, Great Britain and France. In fact, in Europe the state of suffering of sports clubs has been recognized which, carrying out an incomparable social function, are carrying out their championships amid growing economic difficulties which are now seriously putting their very survival at risk. This did not happen in Italy.
In the meantime, however, between additional health costs for swabs and "bubbles" and lost box office revenues due to the prolonged closure of stadiums and arenas - which due to the Covid-19 pandemic could continue for the entire season - dozens of clubs risk having to close its doors, ruining sporting, social and territorial assets built over decades of activity.
Minister Spadafora, Minister Gualtieri, and parliamentary representatives received a package of proposals containing tax relief measures, a non-repayable fund to cover healthcare costs, and centrally guaranteed funding from the Istituto per il Credito Sportivo (Sports Credit Institute) to meet liquidity needs. The clubs are appealing to the Government to provide some form of compensation as soon as possible.
So far, for those organizations that cannot rely on significant television revenues, the government has passed a law granting a 50% tax credit on sponsorships. However, the failure to approve the implementing decree, which was also intended to resolve some interpretative uncertainties, has created an impasse that is weakening, if not nullifying, the effectiveness of the measure. In the 2020/2021 sports season, sponsorship revenues decreased by at least a third compared to the previous one.
The Clubs' alarm was heard by the 4.0 Committee, which, through a survey in which 90% of clubs participated, highlighted the need for financial assistance from 95% of respondents to complete the current sports season . For sports clubs, the average requirement is estimated to be 42% of their revenue for the 18/19 sports season, with an average of €623 per club. So far, only a third of clubs have received government support to address the Covid-19 crisis. However, the average amount of this assistance, for the clubs that have received it, covers just 14% of this need.
We must act quickly. The urgency of receiving assistance is expressed by half of the clubs , who estimate they will not be able to survive beyond January on their own resources. The sacrifices made by the owners thus far are no longer sufficient, and it would be even more dramatic if they ultimately proved in vain. For 8 out of 10 clubs, a state-guaranteed loan would therefore be extremely helpful , a check to overcome this difficult period, repaid within a reasonable timeframe and, above all, in exchange for a commitment to embark, also thanks to this support, on a virtuous path to recovery based on sustainability.
There are 77 clubs , equal to a third of the audience, that in the absence of state-guaranteed financing will probably not register for the next sporting season.
The investigation is clear. Time is running out; concrete action is needed. The clubs, including Derthona Basket, which signed the petition with President Roberto Tava's signature, are calling for sport to be saved ( #salviamolosport) : thousands of jobs among athletes and staff are at risk, as is the social role played by the clubs in the area, especially for the benefit of young people. Finally, the approximately €23 million in tax revenue generated by the activities of these sports companies is at risk.
