During this time of the year without live football, following the sport we love might seem dull. However, especially for those viewing football through the eyes of insiders, this period becomes very interesting. Between the transfer market, confirmed and newly announced marketing partnerships, social media presentations of new signings, and creative season ticket campaigns, June and July become special months without club football.

Today, we focus on season ticket campaigns. This summer, more than others, clubs seem to have returned to creativity as a great way to connect with fans. Emotions and the passion of fandom have become central in the brainstorming sessions of those creating the season ticket campaigns.

Examples include Roma, Bologna fresh off their first Champions League qualification, and Genoa in their second consecutive Serie A season. Italy’s visceral passion for football shines, especially in these moments. It is interesting to note how top Premier League clubs like Manchester City or Liverpool, and most others, don’t create extensive season ticket campaigns. The reason is simple—they don’t need to. Each season, the waiting list for a season ticket is so long and can last years, making it unnecessary to further promote this “product.”

Roma, Bologna, and Genoa in Detail

For the past two years, Roma has captured the attention of industry insiders with its outstanding ticketing results, achieving high stadium occupancy rates, especially compared to the Italian context. For the upcoming season, the Giallorossi haven’t disappointed, recording over 38,000 renewals from last season’s season ticket holders in Phase 1 of the campaign.

The message and claim chosen for the campaign highlight the passionate, visceral, and contradictory nature of the Giallorossi fanbase. “Nun se po’ spiega,” the claim, literally written in Roman dialect, encapsulates this sentiment. It signifies a sense of belonging and a desire to wear the Giallorossi colors in the stadium, beyond the outcome of the matches, driven by a need to proclaim their football faith to the world.

The clip created for AS Roma’s 2024/2025 season ticket campaign features fans of various ages who begin to explain what going to the stadium, supporting Roma, and following the team means to them. None can find the right words to finish their sentences, until the final part of the clip, where all acknowledge the exceptional nature of their support, echoing the claim, “nun se po’ spiega.”

A few days ago, Bologna released the clip for their 2024-2025 season ticket campaign across all social media platforms. The video was preceded by a visual featuring various elements: Bologna fans gathered around a football field imaginatively placed in Piazza Maggiore, with the Basilica of San Petronio on the right and the Two Towers and the dome of Santa Maria della Vita in the background.

The chosen campaign claim is “Abbracciami” (“Embrace Me”). The idea is to symbolize a collective embrace between the fans and the city.

The bond between Bologna fans and their city is strong, even though football is not traditionally the primary sport for Bolognese. This connection, the recent events surrounding the club, and the sense of unity among the players last season have created the impression that Bologna has become one entity, with many bodies embracing powerfully.

The “Abbracciami” claim also carries other meanings. It is an invitation to remember the club’s history and tradition, now embracing a new era that might be as memorable as the years of Scudetti and Bulgarelli’s Coppa Italia. It also invites fans to metaphorically embrace the family members who lived through Bologna’s past epochs but are no longer here to witness the club’s first-ever Champions League qualification.

The video released 24 hours after the season ticket campaign visual confirms this and leaves no room for interpretation. “Caro amico ti scrivo” (“Dear friend, I’m writing to you”) tells this story, an emotional video that unites the sentiments of different generations.

In Italy, Genoa is one of those clubs that certainly does not underestimate the communicative power of the season ticket campaign.

For over two years, the city and music have been consistent elements in their various creative endeavors. This year, Genoa even featured the musical duo “Ricchi e Poveri” in the official clip, borrowing the title of their latest song for the campaign’s claim, “StaraordinARIA”.

Genoa and football form a duo capable of exciting and attracting many fans, even from abroad. It is common to see South American fans wearing Boca Juniors or other club jerseys at matches of Genoa’s two major clubs.

Genoa’s historical significance as a commercial hub, combined with its impact on football and sports culture, is always highlighted by the club, especially through their season ticket campaign creativity. This year, passion and love for football have finally returned to the forefront of the commercials designed for the 2024/25 season ticket campaigns.