eSerie A TIM, the Playoffs as a stage to discuss the importance of virtual football

eSerie A TIM

"And then we have the most alarming figure: 40% of children between the ages of 15 and 24 have no interest in football." This sentence is a very short excerpt from the interview with Andrea Agnelli, Juventus president, published in Corriere dello Sport with a view to explaining the reasons behind the Super League - seen, in other words, as a solution to counter the ever-increasing entertainment. virtual. No, the article will not focus on the theme of this elite sports competition; however, we found the above observation interesting to open the discussion precisely on that digital, or part of it being a question extended beyond video games, which is becoming increasingly feared in the continuous struggle to conquer the free time of consumers.

We were guests in Milan on the first day of Playoff of the eSerie A TIM, which for the occasion was not only the scene of exciting encounters in order to earn a place in the Final Eight but also the perfect stage where to talk again of eSports - above all, of the key role it has in bringing young people closer to that football from which they seem to be getting further and further away. Isn't the way the most conventional one, or the one desired by President Agnelli (and perhaps not only him)? Of course it is another way of living football, neither better nor worse, simply more akin to the so-called zeta generation; possibilist, if you want, because following the "from zero to hero" philosophy it makes itself accessible to anyone, allowing them to reach the coveted summit with dedication and commitment. More importantly, however, it respects the principle according to which "football belongs to everyone" and even for this alone eSport should be better known by those who look at you with suspicion.

A new product

Michele Ciccarese, Lega Serie A Marketing Director, Stefano Deantoni, Marketing Director Infront Italy and Pier Luigi Parnofiello, CEO PG eSports, explained how the idea behind the eSerie A TIM project is therefore to offer the I publish a fresh, fun product that breaks down the limits, barriers and complexities that arise when it comes to video games from a competitive point of view. A few words that contain an intent, if not ambitious, at least not easy to achieve: it is useless to hide that there are still prejudices related to the world of gaming in general and even more so when it flows into the professional field such as that of eSports. The boys who take part in these competitions are not footballers, yet they are champions on the field (virtual, okay, but always taking the sum of twenty-two players who "chase a ball" we are talking about): a concept against which football fans traditional but also the sponsors themselves clash (it goes) no because it is not football, it is not sport, it is a game.

A strong brand like that of Serie A, on the other hand, allows us to undermine a similar perception precisely by virtue of its seriousness as a recognized professional division: it served, in short, to bring the discussion towards known and familiar shores so that eSport began to be seen with different eyes. On pro players, the road is still long, however, it is precisely starting from these prejudices, from dismantling them one by one, not opposing them but explaining and telling how it actually works (the mental and physical training required, the stress to which one is subjected, the staff involved ) that the barriers are broken. The same professional clubs involved understand the importance behind the growth of a pro player and approach this path by bringing with them mental coaches and coaches who really educate these guys, demonstrating attention and study that is much closer to the world of sport than to that of gaming. There is also the social aspect, linked to that fair play that can be seen, or hoped for, on the playing fields and is also encouraged here thanks to the institution, to give an example that has been exposed to us, precisely of a fair prize. play.





The eSerie A TIM project, which was then added, is not the way to bring a generation closer to football - to reconnect with Agnelli's words - that towards this same football no longer shows interest but it is undoubtedly a way. The affection towards long formats is increasingly weakening in general, not only as regards football: there is a tendency to focus on more immediate communication, on highlights, and this too turns out to be a strong point of eSerie A TIM, that right on the YouTube channel shares some of the highlights of a match without the obligation to see it from the beginning.

The establishment and above all the management of an eSport project as big as the current one, it is understood from the previous paragraphs, it is not something that can be solved without the necessary skills. In short, it is not enough to know football to be able to convey it through channels so far remained if not unknown at least rather distant from reality: which is why there was a meeting of parties that allowed the Lega Calcio to find an answer to its needs at the moment. right, relying on professionals such as PG Esports and Infront Sports & Media AG who deal with both the organizational and commercial aspects. The urgency on the part of the Lega Calcio to discover itself among the latest European leagues ready with eSports activities, and therefore to need to enter the game, and the fact that the partners then chosen were ready to face a commitment of this type made it is possible to create an innovative product, aimed at a Zeta generation now less and less willing to take an interest in the classic ninety minutes.

It is a very important project, that of eSerie A TIM, because it brings together two realities that seemed have become unable to communicate: on the one hand there is the constant distancing of the Zeta generation from football, on the other the distrust, if not really fear or envy if we want to read better the words of Andrea Agnelli, towards a form of entertainment which is not given due credit. Establishing such a competition could be the first real step towards creating a new communication channel that can benefit both parties.

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