New Ravenna Under Cipriani Unveiled at City Hall
In a well-attended press conference, Ravenna FC President Ignazio Cipriani, accompanied by the new top management team, outlined the ambitious future plans designed to bring great joy to the sports fans of Ravenna and, above all, to foster a level of enthusiasm and sense of belonging that has rarely been seen in the city.
The Sports Assessor Giacomo Costantini The Sports Assessor Giacomo Costantini opened the press conference by saying, “It is an honor to be here today to present this new project, of which something has already been revealed in the past months. And like in all the best love stories, it required some dating, getting to know each other, building a project together, and then trying to push it forward with all possible energy. After these first months, I can say that Ignazio Cipriani and his entire team have shown tremendous enthusiasm, and I thank them also for the approach they have taken with our city, the team, and the fans, who, despite the difficulties of these years, have never given up. From the very beginning, there has been a serious and concrete approach to building a technical staff that will face the challenges of the upcoming season with the aim of achieving satisfaction. It has been a pleasure to get to know not only Ignazio Cipriani but also a great football figure like Ariedo Braida, who I am sure will be an exceptional resource.” In a context like the Italian one, with an increasing number of foreign ownerships, the choice of Ravenna FC President Ignazio Cipriani is a countertrend move—an Italian entrepreneur investing in the football of his own city with the ambition to reach the top tier. Cipriani stated, “Even though I have lived in America for the past 24 years, Ravenna has always been in my heart. Here, I have my roots, here I feel at home. My passion for football and love for this city drove me to embark on this extraordinary adventure. Our goal is clear and ambitious: to bring Ravenna FC to the highest levels, actively involving our fans in this exciting journey. Beyond sporting successes, we want to increase our club's visibility internationally by creating important synergies. One of these is our collaboration with Nike, which will be our technical sponsor for the next four years. This agreement not only reflects our credibility and ambition but also our commitment to providing our players and fans with the highest quality products. We have also worked on a restyling of our logo to make it more contemporary and appealing, while always respecting its history. This is just the beginning of a journey that will see us grow and innovate constantly, leveraging all the international potential of the Cipriani group. Additionally, we will have a top-tier partner like Black Duck, an investment fund in football, formed by Niccolò Maisto and Michele Attisani, who have joined me in the Ravenna FC through this fund. The team will be a pilot project for applying AI in player data analysis. We are confident that this will give us a competitive edge in scouting and player performance.”
Following this was the speech of Vice President Ariedo Braida, a long-time sports executive who, in 28 years at Milan under Berlusconi, redefined the history of world football: “I chose to join the new sports project created by Ignazio Cipriani because I am driven by a great passion for this sport and because I believe in the quality of the project and the value of the people involved. It is an ambitious project and represents a personal challenge that I face with great enthusiasm. Football is an extraordinary generator of enthusiasm, values, and wealth for the entire city, and I believe this city needed an ambitious and engaging vision like Ignazio Cipriani’s. An enthusiasm that is already palpable and will help us achieve our goals. It won’t be easy, but through time, work, skills, and organization, we will be able to follow this already marked path.” The core of these initial months of work on the new giallorosso sports project is the General Director Paolo Scocco: “The new Ravenna FC is based on three fundamental pillars: past, present, and future. We are working with respect for the club’s history, improving efficiency and professionalism in the present, and aiming for sustainable growth for the future. By retaining many of the existing people within the club and integrating new key figures, we aim to elevate operational standards, invest in young talents, and create an innovative environment to bring Ravenna FC to the highest levels. Functional facilities are crucial for an ambitious project like Ravenna FC. Regarding the Benelli Stadium, we have a comprehensive restyling project planned, which has been shared with the municipal administration. The restyling will involve both the interior and exterior of the stadium. Externally, we aim to provide a renewed image to the city, allowing citizens to identify with and feel part of our club. Internally, we plan to introduce a hospitality area, enhance the bars, and improve aesthetics and services overall. Additionally, we have planned a program of work to improve the Fosso Ghiaia sports center. These steps are essential to support the club’s growth and achieve our long-term goals.” The first step in the sport's aspect of climbing the pyramid of Italian football is the upcoming season, on which Davide Mandorlini, the new Sporting Director of Ravenna FC, has been working for months. Having previously won championships with the giallorossi, he has clear ideas on how to proceed: “Our goal is to build a winning Ravenna that is determined to excel. We start from a solid base: a team that has already proven to be successful by finishing first in the league. We are working to maintain this core and are relying on a coach like Mauro Antonioli, who not only knows the local scene and the category well but has already won here. This gives us confidence in having an experienced guide to face this season, which demands experience, determination, and mentality. We are seeking quality players with great ambition who share our values and our determination to win. We will invest significantly in the youth sector, both in terms of facilities, as mentioned by DG Scocco, and by introducing new training methodologies to develop our players and ensure a steady flow of young talent to the first team. We are ready to do whatever it takes to bring Ravenna FC to success.” The Mayor of Ravenna, Michele De Pascale, recalled the initial contacts with Ignazio Cipriani: “From the very beginning, the impression was positive, and everything that has happened in the following months has confirmed that. I believe that what you have shared today provides the foundation for gaining the full, total, and enthusiastic support of the entire Ravenna community. The goals are ambitious, and such paths are never easy; we are starting with a new experience. I think that, in addition to financial investments, there is also a need for a significant investment of trust from the entire Ravenna community. We all need to believe in it, clearly sharing the objectives.”
