23/08/2025
Technology can enhance sport but it isn’t what makes people fall in love with it.
I spent last Saturday at Como 1907 for a cup game and it left me thinking about fan experience in a way I didn’t expect. The lake and mountain views were stunning but the operational setup was simple, almost last century. Tickets were PDFs or paper, stewards managed entry with calm efficiency and food and drink were basic but quick. Even hospitality had a pragmatic feel. Nothing flashy. Nothing over-engineered.
The club’s direction of travel is clear. Since being bought in 2019 by the Hartono brothers - now the richest owners in Lega Serie A - Como is aiming to build not just a competitive team but a global lifestyle and tourism brand. And with the resources at their disposal there’s no doubt they’ll get there.
For now, though, there was something nostalgic about the experience, free from the complications that often surround modern football. The atmosphere was electric. Families filled the stands. Friends shared stories over a beer. Everyone was present, engaged and focused on one thing: the football.
Of course, a crowd of under 10,000 helps because the event is big enough for energy but small enough to manage without heavy reliance on tech. A 60,000-seat stadium obviously can’t operate the same way and there are multiple factors I haven’t mentioned for the sake of brevity. Scale changes the equation.
But maybe that’s the point. Even at this scale, fans didn’t need more to have a great day out. It was proof that simplicity can still deliver. Clubs today are businesses, driven by commercial agendas but this should never come at the expense of their fans.
The magic of live sport doesn’t come from apps, kiosks, or facial recognition. It comes from connection, the feeling of belonging, the roar of the crowd, the joy of being part of something bigger.
Technology still has a crucial role to play, to reduce friction, to open new ways to engage. It was noticeable, for instance, that 5G connectivity around the ground was excellent. But the real challenge isn’t how much tech we add, it’s where we add it - and most importantly, why.
Sometimes, less really is more.
