Why is the Stadio Olimpico always empty?
AS Roma GM Mauro Baldissoni has recently suggested that the capitolines might move to a smaller stadium before the building of a new club-owned arena. Baldissoni and the rest of the club are unhappy for lack of supporters in the stands for each home game of the last two seasons and keep asking themselves why fans are not going to the stadium anymore?
As our reporter Francesca Schito reports, the first problem regards both Curvas. The Curva Sud traditionally belongs to AS Roma fans, the opposite one, the north, belongs to Lazio fans. Even if they seem to hate each other during Rome derbies, organized group of fans of both clubs (Ultras) are frustrated with panels that have been placed in their sectors to divide them.
Panels were placed in both curvas for ‘security reasons’, but fans want to know nothing about them and have already claimed that they are not going to return to the stadium until those barriers are removed.
One more reason that explains fans’ dramatic drop at the Olimpico is the stadium’s discomfort. Seats are way too far from the pitch which is encircled by a running lane typical of Stadiums built and restructured in the 90s.
Parking is another big issue. In a city like Rome, where public transports are everything but developed, the closest parking available is 2 km far from the stadium (with no buses available to get to the Olimpico). New policies regarding stadium’s surroundings during match-days have been recently activated. Those polices also regard anti-terrorism measures which prevent fans from parking cars too close to the stadium.
In addition to that, rain can cause even more annoyance to fans. Take the last week-end’s game against Sampdoria, by instance.The match was suspended for 80 minutes due to heavy rain and even if the pitch’s drainage was absolutely great, rain flooded some spots inside the stadium (including part of the press stand).The tunnel at the Olimpico has turned into a river due to extreme rainfall. #RomaSamp is temporarily suspended. pic.twitter.com/2kZNW8IVao
— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) 11 settembre 2016
As a result, many fans prefer staying at home watching the game from the TV, rather than going to the stadium, surrounded by discomforts.
How could you say that they are wrong?
