If today Reggina is in the hands of Claudio Lotito, much of the credit goes to those who were able to make the idea of investing in Reggio Calabria engaging. The signature is that of Francesco Cannizzaro, who on the amaranth front has shown that he can do a lot and also take on responsibilities. Especially in a phase in which Matt Rizzetta’s interest could make the need for the mayor’s intervention marginal.
Thanks to Lotito and Ballarino
“I’m very happy – Cannizzaro said last night – that it ended like this, but it couldn’t have been otherwise. It was a long and complex negotiation, linked to technical issues that were abundantly and peacefully overcome. I thank Claudio Lotito for the availability he showed right from the start, but also Nino Ballarino with whom we understood that it was an objective that we all had to pursue together. The institutions also did their part, I acted as mediator”.
The news in the mayor’s words is that we are already thinking long term. Not just to win Serie C. “We – revealed Cannizzaro – have worked and already created a beautiful project. There is Claudio Lotito who is enthusiastic and very excited and is already at work to form what will be the organization chart and the team. In the next few days we will meet with them to detail to the community what the project is which looks to the future in a decisive and enthusiastic way”.
The rules on timeshare
Reggina will be at the starting line of the next Serie D championship with a battleship due to the high budget made available for the category. A certainly desirable scenario, even more so because one of the most important managers in the national football scene is at the helm of the club. But on the hypothesis of a long-term future there is article 16-bis of the Noif which marks the timeshare issue, considering that Lotito is also the owner of Lazio.
Here’s what he says in Paragraph 1:
Participations, management or control situations, directly or indirectly, in more than one company in the professional sector by the same person, his spouse or his partner are not permitted.
relative and relative within the fourth degree.
Paragraph 2 speaks precisely of the case in which an amateur team like Reggina is promoted to Serie C with ownership already present among the Profs:
if, following the transition of a club from the amateur sector to the professional sector, the situation prohibited by paragraph 1 is encountered, the interested parties must put an end to it no later than 5 days before the deadline set by federal regulations for filing the application for admission to the relevant professional championship.
Translated: with the current rules, if Reggina went to Serie C with Lotito as owner it would have to be sold in a few days under penalty of “the forfeiture of the affiliation of the company coming from the amateur sector”.
What would happen with Reggina in Serie C?
If in a year Reggijna were in Serie C everyone would be happy, considering the difficulties they have had in the last three years. However, this mess would have to be unraveled in a very short time. Unless Lotito decides to sell Lazio and it doesn’t seem like such a simple hypothesis or the new course of the FIGC decides to change the rule. Does the question arise spontaneously? Would Lotito really spend around five million euros (1.5-2 for the club and the rest as budget) without knowing how to manage the situation in June next year in the event of promotion? Even more so if we consider the supervision of Mayor Cannizzaro? Plans probably already exist, but it would be appropriate for them to be at least announced to a city that will trust its new owner and its mayor whom it elected with a large majority.