Brescia, Mauro Ferrari: “I want to win titles in A2 and B1, then I’ll step aside”
Mauro Ferrari, the owner of Germani Brescia, spoke at a press conference following the sale of the team’s sporting rights to Matiasic’s new club, Maxima Roma. Facing fierce protests from fans, who chanted and displayed banners outside the club’s headquarters in San Zeno, Ferrari explained the situation and why he decided to sell. “Significant financial efforts have been made during this period. We have dedicated time and workdays—time taken away from my own business and that of my family—and we have invested approximately 30 million euros over these ten years of operation. I believe that rationality and economic sustainability are the foundation of any project.”
“I’ve heard a lot of hypocrisy. I’ve heard talk of sports ethics and moral ethics. But sports ethics and moral ethics don’t exist in any project without economic sustainability, because without economic sustainability, you get nowhere. The Italian basketball system today—like other sports—is in a serious crisis, where the influx of foreign capital is significant. Just think about it: next year we’ll have Trieste with American capital, Naples with American capital, Rome with American capital, and Rome 2 with American capital.”
“A good head of a household, a good company administrator, must be aware of their own financial capabilities and resources. You can’t go from narrowly avoiding relegation on the final day—playing in the A1 league where costs are skyrocketing—only to disappear overnight due to bankruptcy. Anyone responsible for representing a city in the sports arena must understand when it’s time to start over. If ten years ago we had 30 million euros available in the account and today we have just over 500 thousand euros, it means the club is unsustainable and isn’t turning a profit.”
Brescia basketball is ready to get back on track immediately, and Ferrari has offered his services: “I thought it was the right thing to do to present the local authorities with a concrete proposal, and then I’ll step aside. I’ll be at their disposal starting Monday, because right now in Italy there are two B1 and two A2 league spots available for acquisition, to allow our city to continue playing basketball. I’ve also considered a solution that could serve as a first step at the national level. I’ve had an in-house legal team and a team of lawyers from the Federation work on verifying the possibility of acquiring a B1 or A2 license and transferring it to the City, so that the City becomes its custodian, perhaps through one of its own clubs.”
