Interview with Como president Suwarso: «From Disney to the brand, the development plans and why we will invest even more» | OneFootball

VIPs in the stands, the pursuit of beautiful football on the pitch, and one of the world’s wealthiest ownerships backing them. Como, despite yesterday’s defeat against Juventus, is undoubtedly one of the surprises—if not the surprise—of the 2024/25 Serie A season. As a newly promoted side, the team has already captured the interest of football fans not only in Italy but also abroad, thanks to the level of play displayed under head coach Cesc Fàbregas, emerging talents like Nico Paz, and innovative ideas for the club’s development beyond the pitch, leveraging the Lake Como brand to grow.

The Hartono brothers, among the richest families not just in Indonesia but in the entire world (with a net worth exceeding $50 billion, according to Forbes, thanks to their investments in tobacco, e-commerce, electronics, and high-end real estate), purchased the club in 2019. They entrusted their investment to Indonesian executive Mirwan Suwarso, who became Como’s president last October. Our publication met with him at the Sinigaglia Stadium offices—an arena with a distinctive style, particularly in the central grandstand, whose outward-facing façade is protected as a historical-architectural landmark. At the same time, the stadium represents a key development focus for the club as it looks to the future.

In this conversation with Calcio e Finanza, Suwarso covered all aspects of the club’s sporting and business development, ranging from the stadium to finances, the importance of having backers like the Hartono family, and Como’s strategic positioning within Serie A politics. He also touched on the transfer market, including the potential acquisition of Theo Hernández from Milan in the recently concluded window and growing interest in rising star Nico Paz.

Question. Why did you choose Italy?

Answer. «We were looking for a project for a television program. At the time, I was managing a TV station in Indonesia, and we wanted to create a show that would be a sort of football documentary. Italy has always been something people love. Back then, we thought it would be a familiar theme for the audience, given Serie A’s immense popularity in Indonesia during the 1990s—it would have made for a great story to tell».

Q. And why Como?

A. «It was a coincidence. We were looking for cities near Milan for logistical reasons, to facilitate filming, but at the same time, we didn’t want to invest in massive cities like Rome».

Q. Did you speak with your fellow Indonesian Erick Thohir, former Inter owner, before investing in Italy?

A. «I spoke with his staff about practical aspects, getting advice on which lawyers to use and things like that. But in terms of club business decisions, no.».

Q. What are your development plans for Como?

A. «For us, it’s crucial to find a way to turn football into a real business. Football is the catalyst, the gateway, but in the end, we need to create an ecosystem that can sustain the football operation. That means making everything sustainable. A football club in a city of 85,000 people faces major challenges in becoming sustainable through football alone. However, we are fortunate to be in a place where the city itself is a brand: Lake Como is a global brand. It would be foolish not to capitalize on this opportunity—integrating football into the ecosystem, not as the centerpiece but as a key element. We can use football to increase visibility while also leveraging the Lake Como brand, developing activities that start from the club but expand to the Como brand as a whole».

Il ds Carlalberto Ludi, l’ad Francesco Terrazzani e il presidente Mirwan Suwarso (Nicolo Campo / Insidefoto)

Q. Which sectors are you focusing on in particular?

A. «I like to think of our business model in a way similar to Disney. The parallel is between Disney and Como. For Disney, Disneyland represents its theme park division; for us, the football club and the matchday experience are our “theme park division.” Then, we have eight other divisions connected to this. There’s what they call “consumer products,” which includes merchandising, licensing, and everything that comes with it. We have a separate division exclusively dedicated to clothing, footwear, and similar products. Then, we have a media division, which operates as a separate company. Tourism is another key area for us, working similarly to Disney’s travel and tourism sector».

«What makes us unique is the way we connect the football experience with tourism in Lake Como, creating a one-of-a-kind synergy. Then, we have schools and an academy—not just a youth sector for the club, but an academy for those who want to play football in the summer, for example, coming from the U.S. Parents can go on vacation while their kids play football. Additionally, we are creating a year-round football academy for those who want to take the sport seriously, potentially earning a university scholarship in the U.S. or pursuing a professional career».

«We also have a digital division that is developing a blockchain-based ticketing system, which will launch very soon. This division also handles our data management, which is crucial for all football-related operations. Lastly, we have an FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) division, which currently includes our beer, La Comasca. Everything revolves around creating an ecosystem where each element works together, and that’s how we see our project».

Q. In the unfortunate case that you were relegated, would your plans change?

A. «No. Football has ups and downs, but if we do our job well, people will no longer distinguish between Lake Como and Como Football Club. Once they become one and the same, our business will be less exposed to risks.

PLANS FOR THE NEW SINIGAGLIA STADIUM

Q. In recent days, you have presented, together with the Municipality, the redevelopment project for the Sinigaglia. What are your plans for the stadium?

A. «We will work with the municipality. The request is to develop this project, so we will collaborate with the local administration to renovate the Sinigaglia Stadium. We have enough space here».

Q. What will the capacity be?

A. «I don’t know; it will depend on what the regulations allow us to do. However, if we renovate it, it must be usable 365 days a year. Football must be secondary. Every year, 4.8 million tourists visit this area, and if this project comes to life, I believe the municipality would want to transform the stadium into a gathering hub for the community and tourists. For this reason, it cannot be used only for 19 days a year—specific solutions must be considered».

Q. : How is your relationship with the municipality? In other cities, it can be complicated.

A. «We are in Como, not in Milan or Rome. We wouldn’t even consider renovating the stadium or undertaking similar projects if the city wasn’t allowing us to do so or wasn’t willing to collaborate. For us, if we get a new stadium, great. If we don’t, how can we generate revenue to improve? We have 4.8 million tourists every year, and that number is growing. When I first arrived, there were 1.6 million tourists. Five years later, it’s 4.8 million. So, there must be a way to generate revenue from this increase in visitors».

THE CLUB’S FINANCES: AIMING FOR SUSTAINABILITY

Q. Como’s financial statements in recent years have shown significant losses (€83 million between 2020 and 2024). When do you expect to break even?

A. «The football club’s balance sheet is in the red because we have divided our operations into nine different companies. At some point, we may consolidate them, but for now, we are managing everything separately. Our goal is to reach profitability within two years, but to achieve that, all the other brands we manage need to be successful. If you walk around the city today, you’ll start seeing a lot of our merchandise, whereas three years ago, we didn’t even have a store. Now, we have four stores in the city and 485 retail points distributing our products across the Como province. We are serving a population of 85,000 people, plus the 4.8 million tourists who visit every summer. Our goal is to expand internationally and transform those 4.8 million seasonal visitors into 48 million, 400 million, or whatever realistic number we can reach».

Q. How important is it to have a family like the Hartonos behind you?

A. «I think it’s more about experience. Their group has expertise in building brands—not just one, but multiple successful companies and brands. This is another project we are developing, and we’re trying to grow it much faster because we are building it from scratch and want to reach profitability within the next two to three years. If we succeed, it will be extraordinary because achieving profitability in just eight years is incredibly fast».

«We are confident because, until now, all our businesses in Indonesia were focused solely on the local market, whereas this is the first product we can bring to the international stage. For example, even when we were in Serie B, we sold tickets in 122 countries. Last year, 20% of our e-commerce sales were from abroad, and this year, 12% of our sales have come from the U.S. alone».

«We are growing rapidly, and not because we are increasing advertising or commercial promotion, but because it is happening organically. I believe this is due to the strengthening connection between the Lake Como brand and the football club».