Pagliuca: ‘Atalanta and Boston Celtics improving each other, Serie A needs NBA’s creativity’ | OneFootball

Stephen Pagliuca says Serie A needs the same creativity as the NBA and reveals Atalanta and Boston Celtics staff members are studying and ‘improving each other.’

The Atalanta and Boston Celtics co-owner spoke to La Gazzetta dello Sport ahead of Wednesday’s Europa League Final against Bayer Leverkusen.

It is probably the most important match in La Dea’s history. More than 9,000 Nerazzurri fans will be in Dublin tomorrow, pushing the team towards a historic achievement.

Pagliuca discussed the match and his first two seasons at Atalanta, as well as his view on the development of Serie A and the involvement of American funds in Italian football.

Pagliuca: ‘Serie A needs NBA’s creativity’

When asked about the NBA best practices that Serie A could use, Pagliuca said: “The reply would be very long, but I can say that we can use the same creativity as the NBA.

“Serie A is among the top two leagues in the world, alongside the Premier League. Just look at the results in European competitions and the results of Serie A clubs against the English teams. We must offer the Serie A product to a broader audience. Modern technology, thanks to streaming, has made these events global. Serie A must focus on this and globalisation because it’s one of the best leagues in the world.”

Gerry Cardinale’s RedBird Capital Partners owns Milan, 777 Partners has been at the helm of Genoa for a few years, and Oaktree is about to take over at Inter. How can American funds help Italian football?

“Football has become a worldwide business, and it’s inevitable that it attracts foreign funds. I think they can help Serie A’s growth,” Pagliuca replied.

Pagliuca: ‘Atalanta and Boston Celtics improving each other’

“The most important thing for European football is Financial Fair Play. It is fundamental to have a system that creates a competitive balance. The NBA is so popular because many teams can win the title each season. I think Serie A is on the right track in this regard.”

Pagliuca also said that Atalanta and Boston Celtics are directly communicating to improve each other.

“Celtics and Atalanta communicate. We continuously exchange ideas. Atalanta coaches and staff members came to Boston with the Percassi to see how we manage the team, and the Celtics staff came to Bergamo to study Atalanta. We improve each other.”