Lazio ultras in total war with the club

Lazio supporters are neither giving up nor backing down. Thanks to new forms of communication, the Biancocelesti fans’ protest has taken on a new dimension. The Olimpico will not only be empty next season, but there will also be no season-ticket holders — neither in the stadium nor in front of their television screens. Indeed, since the main source of income for owner Claudio Lotito comes from television rights, Lazio supporters have decided to hit him where it hurts the most: they are cancelling or refusing to renew their TV subscriptions for Lazio and Serie A matches. It is true that Lotito is financially secure until 2029 because broadcasting contracts are already in place until then, but negotiations for the next cycle will begin in a year’s time. If the fans remain committed to their campaign, Lotito could find himself in serious trouble.

Organized Lazio supporters' groups launched the initiative on social media, and within just a few hours the number of fans publicly announcing the cancellation or non-renewal of their subscriptions began to rise dramatically. If this trend continues over the next two months, the Lazio president could find himself in a very uncomfortable position. The conflict between the supporters and Lotito has reached such proportions that selling the club increasingly appears to be the only possible solution for both sides. Lotito has run the club for 22 years, and during that period his private companies from various sectors have earned more than 150 million euros from Lazio. At the same time, Lotito has not invested a single euro of his own money into the club, as all investments were financed through loans that Lazio itself repaid. That explains why Lotito is reluctant to part with his “toy,” in addition to his larger-than-life personality.