Udinese Calcio’s vision has once again been held up as an example on the international stage following an invitation to attend the TheStadiumBusiness Summit.
The annual industry event brings together some of the key movers and shakers from the sports stadium scene.
Udinese’s stadium – the second club-owned facility in Italy and a global benchmark for modernity, comfort and environmental sustainability – was placed under the spotlight at this year’s summit, in Manchester.
Magda Pozzo outlined the club’s stadium successes to an audience which included some of the world’s leading experts, clubs and leagues in the fields of entertainment and sports facilities.
Manchester City, Brighton, Southampton and Leicester were among the Premier League clubs attending, together with representatives from EuroLeague basketball and NBA franchises such as Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers, as well as managers of big US arenas like Atlanta’s Mercedes Benz Stadium.
Magda Pozzo illustrated the Udinese stadium model, with its highly regarded Udinese Club House hospitality areas and family-friendly facilities. However, the real feather in Udinese’s cap is the meeting centre and the many events and corporate conventions held at the stadium around the year.
The stadium’s environmental sustainability was another aspect highlighted. Thanks to the partnership with Bluenergy, Udinese’s home ground only uses energy from renewable sources. This has so far saved over 3,500 tonnes of CO2 and the aim is to make it Italy’s first totally green stadium. It is part of Udinese Calcio’s broader environmental policy, which has helped it become the most sustainable club in Italy – and fourth in the world – according to the Brand Finance Football Sustainability Perceptions Index.
“Once again our endeavours and innovative stadium projects have garnered international attention,” Magda Pozzo commented. “This further underlines our commitment to ensure our home can live and breathe 365 days a year and become a gathering point for the local and wider community – and not just for the facilities we hope to be able to extend to everyone soon. Having a modern stadium which offers an ideal location for events and fosters environmentally friendly commercial partnerships is a huge asset that can carry Udinese into the future, together with the completion of our stadium 2.0 project and the digitalisation of zero-impact matches.”