Milan and Inter: Costs and Revenues of the New Stadium

By Andrea Caropreso

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Having state-of-the-art, welcoming facilities in line with the top clubs in Europe is a crucial step for the brand growth of Inter and Milan. Two of the most representative teams of our country can no longer and do not want to continue seeing their revenues halved due to a stadium, the Meazza, which, although historic, is only rented from the City of Milan.

After many preliminary projects, the final one was already presented to the municipality last March and involves the purchase of San Siro. The new stadium will rise in that same area, with the consequent redevelopment of the entire zone.

Costs

The expected costs for building the new facility and acquiring the old Meazza from the municipality are around one billion euros. A figure that will undoubtedly concentrate all the resources of the two clubs on this objective but should allow both clubs to recover the amount spent, with interest, in the future. Regarding this, an “80-million-euro discount” is expected from the municipality, thanks to deductions for so-called “cost items” indicated in Article 4, Paragraph 13, of the Stadium Law, such as the removal of demolished structures and possible decontamination.

Just considering gate receipts alone, Juventus has been generating between 4 and 5 million euros per match, especially in Champions League games. Figures that neither Milan club currently achieves—and even if they did, they would have to share a percentage with the City of Milan.

Moreover, sponsorship opportunities must be considered. Owning the new stadium would allow a brand to name it in exchange for a significant amount, just like Juventus did by naming their stadium “Allianz Stadium.” Consequently, forecasts suggest that both Milan clubs could recover the costs within about 10 years (or perhaps even sooner), taking a big step toward bringing Italian football closer to European standards.

Entertainment Area

But that’s not all. Nowadays, having a modern facility doesn’t just mean offering fans a comfortable seat to enjoy the match, but also building a family-friendly entertainment area around the stadium.

For this reason, the proposed project includes the creation of a sort of football and entertainment village surrounding the stadium. Bars, restaurants, special tours inside the clubs’ museums, and a large parking area are all planned. Each of these attractions will naturally generate revenue. In this sense, projections estimate, for example, 1 million euros from parking, 12 million from tourism visits, and over 5 million from catering and restaurant areas.

The Presidents’ Words

Underlining the importance of the project, the respective presidents also commented.
“It is an important step, but it is just the beginning of a path where nothing can be taken for granted. What is certain is the will and determination of both clubs in this direction. It will be a modern stadium for families with healthy support, free of crime and violence,” said Paolo Scaroni a few weeks ago.

Words echoed by Inter president Giuseppe Marotta, who reiterated during the match against Feyenoord:
“There will be a new stadium that meets modern standards. For Italian clubs, there is still a gap compared to Europe. The government has promised to appoint a special commissioner. I am confident, and I hope we can launch an important movement for Italian football.”

By Andrea Caropreso