Napoli chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis has stated in an interview that European football must learn from American sports culture. Passion is important, but passion alone cannot sustain a balanced financial statement.

De Laurentiis has lived in two worlds since birth: film and football. When he stabilizes between these two industries, sustained by his long tenure in both, anecdotes become strategy, and the past is presented in an almost mythical, even surreal dimension, hovering between reality and science fiction. It feels like a scene from Blade Runner: "I have seen things you people wouldn't believe." Rome, Teha Club—a gathering place for entrepreneurs and executives of The European House - Ambrosetti—provided the stage. The discussion centered on transformation, new opportunities, and entertainment, with people at the heart of it all. De Laurentiis recounted his life's trajectory from between the stage and the VIP box, or more precisely, from the inner sanctum.

Business is Business

As they say in Los Angeles: business is business. "What we're discussing here is how an entrepreneur should operate when the world is changing at an accelerating pace. Today, you can watch anything just by sitting on your sofa with a phone or turning on the TV. We must start from this reality. I've been involved in football for over twenty years, and everything was similar when I bought Napoli in 2004. For many years, we thought: if I make a good film, people will come watch it; if I build a strong team, people will follow me. Today, this can no longer be taken for granted. When making films, I don't just compete with other films; I compete with Netflix. When Napoli plays, the situation is exactly the same. On the pitch, we must beat Inter Milan, Juventus, and AC Milan."

The Passion Project

It has been 22 years since September 2004, and De Laurentiis speaks of two worlds that are similar yet have both transformed. "When I bought Napoli, I didn't need to convince people to love this club. First, I had to understand how a club with such a massive fanbase could go bankrupt. I also had to ensure it would never happen again. We started over from Serie C1. In 2007, we returned to Serie A. Since then, we've consistently competed in European competitions, reached the Champions League, and won Serie A titles in 2023 and 2025. That passion wasn't created by me. My job is to build a sustainable business around it. Because passion can fill a stadium even in Serie C. But passion alone cannot balance the books, buy players, build training facilities, or run a club. Value must be created. A 100-million-euro film isn't necessarily better than a 10-million-euro film. A 100-million-euro player isn't necessarily ten times better than a 10-million-euro player."

Acknowledging Mistakes

While the technical and financial aspects are sound, the club is healthy and winning, but according to De Laurentiis, nothing is perfect: "You must know how to scout talent. Then you also need courage to make decisions. Sometimes these decisions don't please everyone. Over 20 years, of course, we've made mistakes—with players, coaches, management, and investments. A stable club can correct mistakes; a weak club can be destroyed by them. Italian football always talks about how much a chairman has spent. I sometimes wish people would ask what he created instead. What organization did he leave behind? What capabilities? What revenue? What assets? Because spending money is easy; creating value is far harder."

The Next Stadium

He happened to mention the stadium issue, which has always been a headache for De Laurentiis, especially after witnessing American stadiums during the World Cup: "A stadium isn't just a pitch surrounded by stands. A stadium is part of the show. It must be beautiful, comfortable, modern, and technologically advanced. It must have restaurants, shops, and services. It must make a family want to spend a few hours there. Because if I ask someone to leave home, drive, find parking, spend money, and then give me four or five hours of their day, I must give them something in return. I can't just say: you're a fan, so you should come. No. I must make them feel their time is well spent. European football must learn from American sports culture. We don't need to copy their model. Our history is different, our leagues are different, and Europe's relationship with its territories is unique. But we must learn how they think. Stadiums must become an experience. Look at what American leagues are doing. The NBA, NFL, MLB—they are massive business machines. They revolve around product, distribution, sponsorships, and international markets, making stars into household names. They serve their teams and create value. And where does all of this ultimately go? To club revenue, to franchise value. Should we really compare all of this with our own leagues? I hope the league can help me make Napoli more valuable. To do that, it must first make the entire league more valuable."

Let's Talk

So instead of getting lost in illusions, let's have a serious discussion: "We must have the courage to reconsider every aspect of the football product. First, the match itself—its length and interruptions. Rules that have existed for hundreds of years doesn't mean they're sacred or unchangeable. If we want to attract younger fans, we must ask what's driving them away. For example, halftime. Fifteen minutes. Why can't we discuss shortening it or even eliminating it? Fans at the stadium feel the atmosphere, experience being with others, and wait. But what about children at home? You stop the match for 15 minutes and expect them to sit there waiting? They'll pick up their phone, go back to PlayStation, or find something else to do. Then you try to restart the second half."

The Challenge

At 77 years old, De Laurentiis shows no signs of age, because football—even before his film career—has always been pure adrenaline for him: "In 2004, my job was to rebuild a business around an existing passion. Today's challenge is different. We must continue to deserve this passion while reaching people who don't yet know us, especially the younger generation."

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