From the bipartisan political push for "standing areas" in stadiums: Marassi can be the model

Only on paper, for now, but the agreement on the so-called "standing areas" in Italian stadiums, the areas reserved for standing room, would be there. Even politically transversal. This is what emerged, after months of debate, from the conference on the topic held in the Chamber of Deputies.

In the room various associations from the world of organized fans (first and foremost those promoting the initiative, Club Genoani, Federtifosi, Fissc), and the various majority and opposition parliamentarians who support the proposal: from the dem Luca Pastorino to Ilaria Cavo di Nm, from the M5s Luca Pirondini to Salvatore Deidda. With a possible case study already available, the Genoa stadium, the Luigi Ferraris, which in the coming months from a municipal project will be revolutionized in the internal organization of the stands.

In the view of the supporters of the proposal, as on the German model, the standing areas would allow the number of seats to be increased, lower ticket costs, while also increasing the level of safety. In short, the theme is of a logistical-organizational nature, but also political. The title of the conference itself says so (“Let's bring football back to its origins”), but also the message from the President of the Chamber Lorenzo Fontana.

"The proposal deserves attention to the extent that it can contribute to making support for one's team even more engaging, while respecting safety needs, and promote greater economic accessibility to sporting events, also offering those with fewer resources the opportunity to experience the emotions of the match up close."

If the push already seems bipartisan, as often happens when the topic of battle is football, what remains to be understood is how it could be implemented, the fan revolution.

"For now there is a campaign, but to create standing areas, a 1996 decree must be modified which effectively prohibits them in large stadiums - explains MP Pastorino, one of the first promoters of the proposal - In the EU over the last 4 years an experiment has been carried out and there are stadiums that have UEFA certification for this type of space. Given that all the political forces are involved at this point the step to be taken is to solicit the table that Minister Abodi announced, as an opening on the subject, to a question time that I did three weeks ago".

"Unfortunately, the price increases today affect every sector, including that of sport - continues Pirondini, group leader of the M5s in the Senate who had already brought to the chamber proposals to combat the high cost of tickets, as part of the reform of passing football in the Senate - Supporting and supporting one's team in Italy has become almost impossible: a sudden stop to travel and high ticket prices keep more and more fans and enthusiasts, especially young people, away from the stadiums. But without them, football does not exist. This is why we strongly support the proposal: it is a popular battle, which combines security and passion. The Yellow Wall of Borussia Dortmund in Germany demonstrates that football can be experienced standing up, together, in safety and with an authentic popular soul."

“This is a proposal to be taken into serious consideration and supported because it allows us to increase seats and control prices - adds Cavo - making the use of matches at the stadium more popular but without reducing safety”.