Consorzio UniVerso Ora Rizzo raises “After the A and the cup we aim higher”

On Monday evening the shareholders’ meeting will elect the new Board of Directors «Who wouldn’t like to win? We are a solid model ”

TREVISO

Time to take stock at the UniVerso Consortium. The shareholders’ meeting will be held on Monday evening to elect the new Board of Directors which could see more than one rotation in roles.

“This BoD has been in office since 2017 – confirms the outgoing president Roberto Rizzo – Now it is right that the positions are called into question in order to carry out a handover always in the name of the need to bring new energy to a person who feeds of entrepreneurship and passion “.

President, what have these four years represented?

«We have achieved all the objectives we set ourselves when taking office. We wanted to bring Treviso back to Serie A and we succeeded. A second, big step was taken, that of Europe: joking but not too much, during the celebrations for the promotion I said that I would have liked to participate in a Cup within a few years, at the time perhaps someone thought me crazy and yet we succeeded. Then the youth sector which has returned to levels of excellence: this was also demonstrated by the Supercoppa match in Milan in which our boys behaved well even against a clearly superior opponent. Finally, the TvB Point which is under construction: it is the last step to bring basketball back to the center of the city ».

There will also have been less exciting, not to say difficult moments.

“The most critical was in March 2020, when the outbreak of the pandemic forced us to review plans. There were contracts in place with players, staff, suppliers to be renegotiated, we did it with serenity and tranquility. The temporary loss of the box office voice was important for us, on the other hand the club’s revenue is based on the ticket office, the contribution of the Consortium and the sponsors, starting with the De ‘Longhi family who have never left us alone and we must always thank. The Board of Directors on these occasions has worked for the best, making the necessary choices also to support the unexpected, positive such as participation in the Cup or negative such as the closure of Palaverde to the public ».

Yours is a business model. But behind it there is also typhus.

“Of course. We all think as entrepreneurs, even in the definition of the team which is made up of players on the launching pad or looking for an opportunity to restart. Then there is the emotional part, which the athletes also experience anyway, just think of Sunday’s match against Fortitudo decided more by the impact of the public than by technical issues. The comparison with Effe is worth a derby, different from that with Reyer who is always lived in a passionate way but with another aggression ».

Back to the top and to Europe, young people, territory. Nothing else?

«Who wouldn’t like to win something, a Cup or a Scudetto? The important thing is never to lower the aim, then we’ll see. Meanwhile, with the recovery, the companies have returned to look at UniVerso as a solid and captivating model and our intention is to explore the neighboring territories again, such as Belluno and Pordenone, where several of our juniors are already arriving. On the other hand, the Consortium offers ample opportunities without putting the club’s existence at risk: this is the secret of our strength ». –

Federico Bettuzzi