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Massimo Marinelli
Sports, Media & Entertainment Executive. Board Leadership, Corporate Finance, Value-Creation Track-Record. Former Board Member Leeds United and Managing Director Investment Banking. Chairman Kinetic Foundation.
Massimo Marinelli is an accomplished executive with a focus on sports, media, and entertainment. With a background at UBS Investment Bank as the Managing Director, he spearheaded initiatives in media, internet, and sports across EMEA. Massimo has a wealth of global experience, having worked extensively in the US and Asia. His educational background includes studying Economics at both The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and the European School of Economics. Massimo has held various significant roles in esteemed organizations, such as being a Board Member at YAAR Bar Limited, Leeds United, and serving as Chief Executive Officer/Managing Partner at Aser Ventures. He has also taken up roles like Chairman of the Board at Hellodì | Digital Business Solution, Board Observer at Whistle, Chief Investment Officer at Aser Ventures, Advisor at Aser Ventures, and Managing Director at UBS.
Highlights
My insights from the #FTBusinessofFootballSummit: Revenue streams, regulations, and competition
A fantastic day at the #FTBusinessofFootballSummit today! The event offered valuable networking opportunities and insightful panel discussions, leaving me with some key takeaways:
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North American real estate example for Europe: Real estate opportunities are driving significant revenue for North American sports franchises. ️ Could mixed-use stadium developments become more prevalent in Europe?
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Navigating new regulations: Football clubs face challenges adapting to evolving financial fair play regulations, especially with potential misalignment between football departments and business functions. ⚽️ Will UEFA and domestic rules converge to avoid excessive complexity for investors and clubs?
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Beyond the pitch: Sports clubs are not just competing against other teams, but against a broader landscape of entertainment options like streaming services. This requires a focus on diversifying offerings and engaging fans beyond traditional means.
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Public-private partnership: Owning a sports franchise is a public-private partnership with fans. However, professional investors need to prioritize professionalization and self-sufficiency, moving beyond solely outspending competitors.
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International collaboration & changing opinions: La Liga president Tebas floated the possibility of bundling international rights sales with other leagues, potentially increasing global viewership. However, revenue distribution based on viewership as he hinted might be very challenging for smaller clubs.
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Quotes to remember: Gerry Cardinale: "I'd like to spend the incremental dollar better than anyone else, don't be just focused on absolute spend." #ZlatanIbrahimovic: "If you work with the best, you become the best."
Special thanks to Orson Francescone and of course to the whole Financial Times team for putting it all together!
#sportsbusiness #footballfinance #fanengagement
