The Innovative Mr Alberico and his Sports Centre

February 25, 2008 · Filed Under Good Italian Things · Comment 

Here is another story of a ‘Good Italian Thing’ that I discovered while starting a new English course last week which is tied to a part-time master in Sports Business Management. As you might expect, many of the participants are ex-sportsmen and women, and they are a fascinating bunch of people too.

A Chat With a Student

Well, after a lesson, I had a chat with one of the participants, one Donato Alberico, who it turned out is the director of a sports complex down in the deep south, and also happens to be an ex-national Italian tennis champion to boot. Mr Alberico told me a little about the sports centre he runs.

Running Costs

This centre is the Centro Sportivo Meridionale in San Pietro al Tanagro, and can be found some 80 kilometres to the south of Salerno (map) near Naples. The Centro Sportivo Meridionale has only quite recently, I understand, been brought back into service, in fact, the sports centre had been badly damaged by an earthquake.

However, although the centre is up and running, the problem appears to be keeping the 150,000 square metre complex going due to the high running costs it incurs. The covered swimming pool for example, which was recently refurbished, costs a small fortune to heat. And although the enterprising management have managed to obtain some sponsorship and finance, there never seems to be quite enough to keep the place running, and, more importantly, expanding.

Unfortunately, and in part due to indirect funding difficulties, the facilities that this complex offers are not yet fully exploited, despite demand for them being high. Part of the problem appears to be the cash strapped local schools, which although they would be more than happy to use all the centre has on offer, cannot send groups of pupils to swim and play tennis etc simply because the local authorities cannot afford to make the overtime payments to the teaching staff who are required to supervise the excursions to the sports centre. If the sports centre could possibly pay the teachers directly, then that might encourage the schools to use the centre more.

An Innovative Solution

Notwithstanding these odd indirect funding problems, the non-profit organisation, Meta SPA (the site is in Italian), which manages the complex, has been actively attempting to develop other non-sports related income streams, and, the student of mine is doing the Sports Business Management Master in order to understand better how to run and raise funds for the centre. But prior to doing the master, Mr Alberico and his team were not simply swinging their heels. Oh no.

The Centro Sportivo Meridionale also functions as a form of management training school and has been working with a similar organisation from business school infested Milan to develop the Centro Sportivo into a sort of business school of the south.

The Centro currently runs around 14 post graduation master type courses which have a distinctly practical orientation, and this should help stimulate business in that area of southern Italy, and, may prevent, in some small way, the South-North brain-drain that is taking place. At present new graduates, who wish to undertake a little practical training in order to prepare themselves for the world of work, usually end up in Milan or Rome. And the main reason for this is the lack of business schools down in the areas of southern Italy they come from.

Enhancing Prospects for South Italy

Mr Alberico and his staff are doing something that is potentially extremely worthwhile for the under-resourced and undervalued south of Italy. However, what the centre needs for both its sports and training activities is more exposure, and, with a little luck some financial assistance. Hence my reason for writing. It’s only a small contribution, I know, but any contribution is better than none at all.

Support this Cause!

So, if by any chance, you my kind reader, happen to be an Italian or of Italian origin and are resident abroad. Maybe you have been treated well by life, and maybe you would like to do something to help out the ‘old’ country. Then, I cannot think of a more worthwhile cause.

Do not hesitate to drop me a line, and I’ll see about putting you in touch with the innovative Mr Alberico, who, by the way, has no idea that I am writing this, and I hope that he won’t object. Don’t worry, I’ll tell him the next time I see him.

Not that I think you will, but please don’t offer to send me donations and the like.

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New Fields

January 28, 2008 · Filed Under Work · 1 Comment 

This is interesting. Well, it is for me. I’m putting together a short English course which will revolve around the theme of sports management. This is a new ‘field’ for me, but through the magic of the world wide web, I’m starting to get an angle on this quite specialist management discipline, and, more importantly, just what aspects of the English  language people working in this relatively new environment will need to know.

That is the challenge for me. First I need to obtain an overview of this sector, and once I feel I’ve more or less understood what I think I need to understand, I can then boil it all down into what should be the most useful elements. I already have a standard game plan, which I have developed over quite a few years of observation and as a result of working out what works, and what does not. But this standard game plan is not going to help me on this occasion, at least not much.

I’ve yet to work out the specific goals, if you’ll excuse all these terrible puns. But what I have learnt is that sports management is not solely a case of maximizing income for football teams and their players, oh no. It also has a community related function, and the targets are not always financial but quite often social. As you may realise, playing sport can have quite a few social benefits, such as reducing obesity and all the associated medical costs, and if someone is doing some sport or other, he or she may not be tempted into petty crime. This keeps people out of prisons and can make the streets safer for everyone.

Of course, there is a big difference between the personality driven sports businesses and the business of encouraging people to take up sport, and a line between the two types of sports business probably needs to be drawn. Professional sports revolve around income, just like any other business, whereas amateur sporting activities are more like health education programmes. At least I think so. And at an amateur level although business practices can be used to run things in the background, for those on the field, the business aspects need to be kept well hidden, so as to keep all sporting activities as interesting as possible.

I shall be interested to discover how many of the sports management course participants are going to be focusing of the business side of sports as opposed to the social aspects.

This is going to be an interesting new course.

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442 Pub Milan - New Banner

January 21, 2008 · Filed Under 4-4-2 Pub · 4 Comments 

Down at my favourite watering hole there is a curious new flag with ‘Four Four Two, Milan’ on it. Although this flag, which can been seen on Facebook, appears to be English - red cross on a white background, not the Union Jack, interestingly enough, it is the flag of Milan.

I have no idea why the England and Milan flags are exactly the same, but I have to say that it is very appropriate for a sport pub in Milan. If anyone out there knows anything about the origins of the Milan flag, then please let me know.

I have used said flag as the basis of the new banner ad on this blog, and you will see it down on the left hand side. If you click on said banner, you will be taken to the official 442 pub site, but much better than a virtual visit is a real one. And shortly all you rugby fans will be able to see all the rugby down at the pub - but get there before the matches start, otherwise you will find it is standing room only. The atmosphere will be great though, sitting or standing.

Oh, and the ‘two beers for the price of one’ offer is still on. Yet another excuse for checking the place out.

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