The Calcio Storico is going international in two projects aimed at widening their name and activity. Within the next two weeks, an international search will begin for someone to manage the brand of Florence’s historical football match, symbol of Florentine sport. This manager will create a line of products, including hoodies, mugs, uniforms and postcards, to be sold in sports stores around the world and online. The Assessor of Sport, Andrea Vannucci, explained to La Repubblica Firenze, “the Calcio Storico has the numbers and ability to transform itself into a touristic, cultural, athletic and economic powerhouse […] its movement is capable of earning a lot: what we get from merchandising will go to uniforms, fields, it will serve the Calcio Storico”.
The second project, already planned, is to bring the players from Florence’s four Colori, or district teams, to perform in foreign countries, beginning with Marseilles, the European Capital of Sport 2017, where a match will be played at the end of May. But Vannucci has his sights set on many more stops and countries around the world. “After Marseilles, I would like to go to the United States, Russia, other European countries, Japan.” Authorities believe that success of the historic football game in the USA in particular is likely, judging from the interest seen after the HBO-broadcast documentary about the Calcio Storico, which garnered over 10 million viewers.
